Water Valley progress., 1902-08-09

- II -
KANSAS IRRIGATING WHEEL.
(Simple Device Which Supports One Fam
lily in Comfort.)
to be known as the RECLAMATION
fund.-" to be used for the storage,
diversion and development of waters
for the reclamation of arid and semi
arid lands in the said states and
territories"
The report of the house committee
shows that 535, ,4S6, ,731 acres of land are
available for public entry in the states
and territories named in the bill.
Kansas and Nebraska contain no
arid lands, although nearly one
third of the western portion of each
state is semi-arid. and susceptible Of
improvement by irrigation. More
than one-third of the public lands
within the states Of North and South
Dakota are in the arid or semi-arid
belt. The portions of the states Of
Oregon and Washington east of the
Cascade range are either arid or
semi-arid. This condition exists
over two-thirds of California, fact
surprising to all who have not in
vestigated the subject. One-third of
Oklahoma is arid.
All OF the other states and ter
ritories are in the arid belt, and
can only be made agricultural by
scientific irrigation. It is estimated
that upwards of 50,000,0OO acres Of
barren land may be made fertile.
In 1900 the national platforms of
the three political parties declared
in favor of irrigation by national di-
rection. Referring to this fact, the
committees report says: with con-
fidence in the desire of members Of
all parties to fulfill the pledges of
their national platforms, greatly en-
couraged by the earnest and vigor-
GUS recommendations of the presi-
dent, the members of both branches
OF congress from the arid and semi
arid states met in the early days of
the present congress, appointed a
committee of one from each state
and territory, with Senator Warren
as chairman, and proceeded to for
mulate a suitable bill. This work
having been accomplished, the bill
was introduced in the senate by Mr..
Hansborough, and in the house OF
representatives by Mr.. Newlands. No
legislation presented to an American
congress has had all of it's pro-
visions more carefully and thorough
~ considered in all their bearings. .
The special committee mentioned
in the report did diligent work. Each
member of the senate and of the house
OF representatives kept the matter be-
fore the legislators, so that when the
time came for voting everyone knew
the provisions of the measure and its
ultimate object. Where all did we'll,
it is almost invidious to make any
distinction; but it is generally admit
ted that Congressman Reeder, of Kan
sas, was exceptionally hard at work
all winter and spring in this behalf.
And yet, with all this missionary
work done before the bill came up
for discussion in the house of repre-
sentatives. there were members ac-
lively opposed to it on various
grounds. A score of amendments
were offered, all of them designed to
defeat the object of the bill. One
after another they were voted down,
and the bill was finally passed by
vote of 146 yeas to IS nays.
1t is expected that upwards of 200,-
600 acres of land will be annually re-
claimed under the provisions of this
law, until all of the millions of acres
of the desert shall have been re-
claimed and peopled with home own
ers. Irrigation is not an experiment.
1t was practiced before the dawn of
recorded history. Man attained his
first high degree of civilization un-
der it's practice. Through it's eff
cheney the great nations of antiquity
established and maintained their
might and glory. Egypt, Assyria, In
dia, China are irrigated models for
us. We are taking new departure
by following in the footsteps of the
wisest ancients. SMITH D. FRI.