Fergus County argus., 1902-01-29
Cne-Third Of the United States is Pub
lie Domain, Nine.Tenths Of Which
Needs Water.
BILL HAS BEEN COMPLETED
Congress is Disposed to erappie With
the Important Problem of
irrigation.

The future OF 2flu America Is the
greatest and most momentous pro b.
lem before the American people to
day. Its dimensions may be judged
from the fact that one-third the area
of the United States, exclusive OF
Alaska and the islands, is still public
domain. and that fully nine-tenths of
this is in the arid region. These arid
lands. il there could be applied TO
them the water now going to waste
in that region, are conservatively es.
timated to be capable of supporting
a population greater than the whole
nation now contains.
Correctly to solve this problem we
have to do much more than merely
apply to natural resources the devel-
oping power of labor and capital. II
contains factors of which we have
practically no inheritance OF exper-
ience. Hitherto in our march across
the continent we have had but ia
make certain and secure titles to land,
and leave private energy and enter
prise to do the rest. But in the arid
region the question is not OF land
alone. but of land and water, with wa.
ter as the dominating factor. The
character of titles to water finally rec.
ognized," as Secretary Wilson says
in his latest report. will do more than
all other influences combined to deter.
mine whether western farmers are to
be tenants or proprietors."
The bill dealing with this problem,
just completed by committee of con-
gressional representatives Of the arid
land states, appears to contain some
excellent provisions. It authorizes the
secretary OF the interior to withdraw
from entry all lands needed for irri
CATION works or to be fertilized by
them, and provides that all money
hereafter received for public lands in
the arid region shall be set aside as
reclamation fund. 1t authorizes con
tlacts to be made for irrigation pro,
jccts found practicable when the cost
will not exceed $40 per acre of the
land reclaimed. It restricts home
stead entry of reclaimed lands to- 50
acres. and directs that the entryman
shall pay for such lands So per acre
TO the reclamation fund.
The bill appears to be weak, how
ever, in the permission to sell water
rights to private buyers. and in the
provision that state laws shall govern
in the appropriation and distribution
OF water. The permission to sell
rights to water provided at public
cost plainly opens the door to capital.
istic control OF large ares. The pro.
vision that state laws shall govern ap
preparation and distribution leaves un.
remedied the present uncertainty and
conflict of those laws, and provides
no way to adjust claims to the use Of
interstate streams. In spite of these
and other defects. however. the bill
at least shows that congress is dis
posed seriously to grapple with this
momentous problem, and may lead to
measure dealing with it on broader
lines.
The truth is, as Secretary Wilson
says, that material development in
our arid region has outrun the crea.
ton of institutions necessary for its
protection" We are now making
there not only industries. but institu.
tions. In our past history We have
few precedents or noe. We must seek
them in southern Europe and the Or.
lent, countries to which we have never
looked in the past for legislative guld.
ance. Upon our correct application
of experience in water appropriation
and distribution will depend whether
our arid region shall become a land
o: great estates and many tenants. or
OF numerous Independent home own
ers. That we desire the latter condi-
tion is unquestioned. Hence the need
OF close study and extreme care on
the part of congress in legislating
upon this vast and momentous prob.
lem of arid land reclamation.-Inte