Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-03-07
THE ARID WEST.
WHAT IRRIGATION MIGHT BE
ABLE TO DO.

Shown. Cares Very Little for Individual
Rishts-NationaI Aid to Irrigation Will Settle
100000 Families on Reclaimed Lands
Within . Decade-lf transportation Trusts
Restrict the Output East. the Broad Pacific
will Open Way to Foreign Marts.
EDITOR STANDARD:
The Arid West has an area large
enough to contain the population of
several of the world powers. without
crowding. It was evidently designed
to play an important part in the de-
velopment of the western hemis-
phere, because nature has lavishly en-
dowed it with natural resources and
advantages. CALIFORNIA; gold crop is
only drop in the bucket compared
with the possibilities Of irrigation. 1t
is a popular belief throughout this
section of the country that Mckinley
was double dealer on the question OF
irrigation. Westerners have before
their eyes the actual results OF agri-
culture conducted on this scientific
basis. There is no room for doubt or
failure. 1t pays; and as an invest
ment it is safe. The present chief ex-
ecutive has spoken in no uncertain
voice on irrigation, but he is handi-
capped by his need of trust support.
These trade leviathans dominate his
party; and to placate them he was
obliged to insert in his first annual
message n statement, which cannot be
true unless it is made OF India rubber
to-wit. that the trusts do not depend
for their development and profit, to .
urge extent, On favOritism in teKista.
ton.
If that is a fair and truthful gener-
alization and particularization, why
do the agents and attorneys of the
trusts buzz around Congress like flies
about = carcase? OF this fact there
can be no doubt. The common PEG.
pie have not gotten the big end OF
any legislation during the past gener.
alton. II they have they are like the
dead Irishman, not sensible of it.
The people. 10 the trusts are all Alas
kan noonies. But . majority of the
people are convinced that they could
master the science Of government.
Capital did not settle the country
originally. 1t did not write the Dec.
laration of Independen ce nor the Con-
stitution. The principal business OF
capital always has been, and always
will be, to look after the Almighty
Dollar. In time of war, it is not pa.
triotic, and in time of peace, it does
not pay its share of the taxes. Capt.
tai had no great part OF the work to
do in the settlement OF the people on
the public domain but it has contin.
ually followed in the wake of progress,
into the interior of the continent, to
get an unlawful share of the traffic
developed and maintained by the
struggles, perseverance,, and indomita.
BILE grit Of the pioneers.
History does not teach US that or
ganized wealth il in the habit of Civ
ing the common people their rights.
Our constitution was written 40 pro-
test TO any such error. The right of
the common everyday man and wo-
man to Ill the opportunities OF Amer.
can civilization, 10 the rock of ages on
which this nation is built. Trusts are
~ voracious as Shxkespeare's whale,
which would swallow the whole par.
ish, church.steeple, bells and all.
Western people are opposed to the
present colonial expansion policy, be.
cause it gives the trusts a chance to
continue to swell up, at their expense.
They figure this way: National aid
to irrigation will settle five million
families ON the reclaimed land in the
Arid West during the next decade.
These millions will represent voters,
of the most independent stripe and
bias. Their livelihood will not de-
pend on trust activity. They will be
recruited from the industrial centers,
where very often the laborer feels he
is much more related to q reconcen-
trado than to free born American
citizen. The memory of his bondage
to eastern industrialism will make
him determined to fight his old enc
my with ballot and every other means.
Legislation, taxation, unrestricted
trade with South America, and gov
eminent ownership, are some of the
proposed weapons of his warfare. r.
rigation is depended upon to supply
the raw material of prosperity. It
will bring agriculture, industry and
commerce to tho front. The millions
of homeseekers once domiciled in the
land will become interested in the &C.
cupations which yielded them support
in their original homes. Soon the
question OF disposiug of surplus pro.
ducts will be mooted. Transportation
trusts will be relied upon by the rest
Of the species, TO keep western compe-
tition out OF the Eastern States. That
will be the beginning of pressure.
which will eventually force the west
to float on the Pacific ocean q mer-
chant marine. An eligible market
will be subsidy enough. An oriental
market, which 10 the colonial expan-
sion substitute for national aid to irri.
CATION, is not of much present, or
prospective value. South America 10
the source Of our commercial hope.
But the trusts are looking that way
too. Their scheme Of reciprocity with
patent insides, is guaranteed to reduce
the surplus. and give them the hand
ling of South American trade. The
milk in the cocoanut for them is TO
make the indigenous products of the
southern continent cost western con-
sumers two prices.
Western people have an ingrained
belief, that those who supply the
sinews of war and peace to govern
ment, are entitled to power.
JAMES e. FREE.
Billings, Montana.