The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-07-26
The Agricultural Experts
Against NationalProject
AN EXPERIMENT, SAYS MEAD
FavOrs State and Private Corporation
WOIks-GeOl0gical Survey Beginning
Large Plans fox Carrying Out New
Law-PTesident an Ardent Advocate.

Large Plans for Carrying Out New
Law-President an Ardent Advocate.
The Agricultural Department and the
Interior Department have not come to
blows regarding the problem Of nTigat-
ing the arid Western lands, but they
hold widely divergent views regarding
the problem. and officers Of the different
bureaus directly interested fear that be
fore very long there may be something
bordering on a breach In fact, the sit
uation between the two departments
contains the seeds OF one Of the few
possible discords Of the Administration.
The Yearbook now being issued by thc
Agricultural Department contains a
chapter or two on irrigation which.
while emiRently dispassionate and con-
servative In tone. Is definite enough n
its tenor to call attention to the differ
ence Of views held by the two branches
Of the Government 1t has attracted
some attention among the officers OF the
Geological Survey, which has immediate
cha e of the irrigation work under the
new law, for the Interior Department.
The Agricultural Department Year
bo6k describes q number Of successful
private irrigation enterprises In various
parts Of the West and comments on
them favorabiy. n summing up its OBJ
servations 1t draws the conclusion that
II general the United States Government
will do well to keep out Of irrigation
projects, leaving them 10 private parties
and the States. This statement is quail
fed somewhat BY the suggestion that IN
some very large projects The Govern
ment might possibly undertake the
work
Attitude of Mr. Mead.
This is the attitude Of the bureau Of
the Agricultural Department which has
been doing Investigation and preliminary
work in irrigation for several years
The head of the bureau is Mr. EIwood
Mead, who has the title. OF expert in
charge Of irrigation fnrc<tigattons." Mr.
Mead has the Teputatrc of q thorough
knowledge Of the subject, but he IS said
By the Interior Department people to be
Somewhat biased BY tbs fact that he
comes from Wyoming, a section Of the
West in which many Of the largest
rivers originate. Such a safe, t Is said,
is naturally q believer IN State trri-
cation projects and against big Govern
meot works.
number Of the people in Mr.. Mead
bureau are said 10 come from the same
locality and 10 have the same bias as
Mr., Mead, without quite 50 much con-
servatism Of mind, but this IS quoted
entirely as the view Of the Interior De-
partment people
The law passed by the session OF Con
gTess Just ended provided for the begin
hing OF a vast general plan Of irriga-
ton It makes Immediately available
something like $1,000. 600, and provides
for the expenditure in the future of
many times this amount friends Of
the bill hazard the prediction that in the
EeZt 100 years irrigation plants costing
Sloe, 100000 may be erected, though IL is
not minated that anything ike this
sum viii be required as original outlay.
the idea being that the revenues from
ire first plants viii be sufficient to build
the others with
This plan contemplates United States
governmental irrigation on the broad
est scale IF anything 1t frowns On
State projects and private irrigation
corporations IS tending to be unfair
&c the United States at large.
Roosevelt Favors Plan.
People that know most as to the at
titude Of the Administration say that
IN this matter the weight Of influence
Is Overwhelmingly with the Interior De
partment and against the Agricultural
Department. L Is even limited broadly
that the Agricultural Department was
shut out Of the irrigation work On this
account largely, when the question
came up which branch Of the Govern
ment should be given the big contract.
president Roosevelt is an ardent II
rlgationist He worked hard for the
passage Of the law and succeeded fin
getting It through Congress when none
q It's other friends believed that II
ned much chance OF passage. Il is said
tnat ne mad many conferences with
both Western and Eastern members Of
congress on the subject and that he
expended almost as much energy on
the project as he did on Cuban reci-
procity- He talked irrigation very de-
eloedly and forcefuIly in his message.
also.
Il irrigation becomes a big and pros
porous reality during the next few
nation OF arid lands all that has been
promised for It, President Roosevelt
viii be the man TO be thanked for II
Il the opinion OF some Of the best IN
formed people that have interested
themselves IN the subject
Arguments Of Friends.
The arguments put forward by the
governmental irrIgationists are. briefly.
as fellows:
l irrigation by States and by private
parties should not be permitted except
o. the most limited scale. because IL /
may be e Iinently unfair to other neigh (
boring States. The great Western rivers
flow through several States between
their sources and their mouths. Water
used for irrigation purposes near the
head waters Of q stream IS frequently !
almost ali lost to the States and the /
people further down the stream. L has /
happened before now that rivers Of more I
or less importance have disappeared en-
tirely before they reached their destina- 4
ton because they have all been used up /
IN irrigation projects.
The United States and Mexico have