The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-25

the water supply anyway. While at some
seasons the streams coming down from the
mountains run In torrents, vet in other
seasons ana when most needed, they SO
ran away that hElgation channels are let
arg and crops suffer. The only means of
overcoming this trouble Is 10 catch the cy-
cess water ut Hood time In great reservoirs
IN the mountains, ana then feed n hHck tn
the streams at time when they run low.
something of this work has already been
done, but IL is so costly and involves So
many legal difficulties that capital is slow
20 embark In II. Probably II must he made
n government undertaking, either State or
National
Strong arguments are made TO the effect
that this is properly the work Of the State
governments In the region to be reclaimed
stronger arguments, apparently, point 10
the government at Washlngton as the prop.
er agency. President Roosevelt has takCn
the latter view In his message to congress,
urging the work as among the most appru.
PIRATE and pressing of National undertake
lngs.
A single unfortunate fact speaks loudest
OF all for action by the general governments.
II Is that even II every drop Of water that
tricklos down out of the mountains were
10 be boarded and used TO the very beet
advantage, there would not be enough 10
reclaim one quarter Of the great desert
waste, Such a fact calls for the greatest
care and thoroughness In conservation II
demands the study aud treatment Of the
problem as one great whole. SO that work
when done shall present a scientific system
OF reservoirs and connections, gathering
aud distributing all thar Is available Of the
precious liquid to the hest advantage only
the central government can so grasp and
treat the situation.
dust as Eastern people IN general fail 10
conceive the awful sterility Of the ulirp.
claimed arid West So do they fan 10 an.
preciate the hountcous fruitfuluess Of tive
land when the touch Of water comes. HUT
the people of the Irrigated West know thiS
iruitfulness so wen that they even speak
of the blessing of aridity" meaning tEat
an arid land, " only water for irrigation
can be had, Is preferable to land Of nor
maj rainfall, The yield Of the soil IS so
great that farms can be ana are very small
and this Of Itself means much. II means
that the usual country isolation can he
avoided. on these small, intensely culti.
waited holdings, the farmhouSes almost rub
elbows, and the good housewife does not
have To mitch up" to 20 to see N her
is often practically village life, with all the
benefits Of social intercourse, OF libraries
electric lights aud telephones.
SO fruitful indeed is this land, ana CON
sequently so small may be the individual
holdings, that a startling population est.
mate may be given IL is that even the
small part OF this arid West that there Is
water enough 20 redeem, is capable OF sun
porting a population equal TO that OF our
entire country today.
From a large current literature on this
subject OF 'intornai expansion the follow
ing titles are selected:
I. "Reclalmlng the Arid West Il. NJ
Barker. Forum 3S:86a, May, 1902
=. irritation. F; II. Newell, I. Y Crow.
ell & Co., New York
3. Irrigation In the West" w. q.
Smythe; American Review OF Reviews 1910.
January, 1907
"a New National Policy" Independent
54:1i, January ., 1902.
., "Reclalmlng the Western Country"
Golfers Weekly 2S;5, january g. imu2
e. CONQUEST Of Arid America" W. n.
smythe; Harper 4 Bros. New. York,
Z Problem of Irrigation Legislation"
Elwood Mesd; Forum 81 57S. January,
1900
s. Government Construction OF Reser,
yolrs In Arid Regions" II. NJ, Chlltenden;
North American Review iTs;24b, February,