The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-21
This provision is directly In the inter-
est OF the actual settlers, and will en-
courage the rapid population Of the arid
and the semiarid regions.

This provision is directly IN the inter-
est OF the actual settlers, and Will en-
courage the rapid population Of the arid
and the semiarid regions.
Owned by the Government.
The general governm ent2i to own all
OF the irrigation works, under the new
bill This provision checkmates the plan
OF the large stockmen of the southwest,
who, through their representatives on the
committee of seventeen which drafted the
bill, commended for a provision turning
the reservoirs and other works over TO
the several states after certain length
Of time. This contention came near being
the rock on, which the whole matter split.
For two or three weeks it looked as il
these ranchmen would never consent to
the plan OF permanent government owner
ship and control. It meant the population
OF the arid and semiarid country, and the
consequent reduction of the grazing areas;
besides, if, there were state ownership
and control, it would be possible for them
gradually to build up monopolias of irri-
gated land.
! Under the plan of the friends OF the
| new bill, the government will, after the
scheme shall have been put into success
full operation, gradually turn. over the
management Of the canals and reservoirs
to. the owners of contiguous irrigated
land, itself retaining the title to them
| This will be subject for subsequent
| provides that the management of the
canals shall be turned over to the set
tiers as soon as they shall have paid more
| than one-half- of the total cost of theil
lands; but the reservoirs are for thu
present to be directed as we'll as owned
by the government. ~
| Explained by Hansbrough.
Senator Hansbrough of North Dakota
who will lead the fight for the bill in tt
senate, said to-day:
| sTheG strongest fact in favor of the bill as i
has finally been adopted is that monopoly o
land will be impossible. This will encourage
the small settler, and within "a dozen years
after the completion of the works fill the arit
| and semtarid plains of the great west with al
industrious, well-to-do population. Citie
and towns will spring up on the barren plain
OF Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico
/ and the states farther north and west, ant
| this wide expanse of territory will becom
one of the wealthiest and most important o
| the. whole country The bill has been care
fully drawn in the interest Of such result
We have provided against any condition %
affairs which will convert these irrigated sec
tons into grazing plains or place them
the mercy of spectators. We want them re
served for the small landholder, who will g
/ there with his family, and in a very litera
sense make the desert blossom like the rose
| IN my judgment this irrigated land will be
come the greatest agricultural section of tn
union, both as to the yield per acre and al
to the price that yield will bring the owners
ofathe land. ~ r.
! About s2,O0O,OOO per year is now col
1ected as the result Of the sale of public
| land in the semiarid states. 1t is pro
| posed that this sum shall go into an irri
! cation fund, instead of being covered int
! the general fund as heretofore.
| 80 !. SIS w. w. Jermane.