Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-03-07
The Arid Lands OF the West.

There is now said to be 1907 100000 in
the hands of the irrigation commission,
TO be applied in sinking artesian wells,
building dams and reservoirs and ditch
es for irrigation purposes in different
parts of the arid lands west of the Miss
issippi. Ont of this amount S4O,OOOOO
has been set aside to be applied on the
lands of central South Dakota, and seven
wells and quite number of dams will
be sunk this summer. Prof. Todd, the
state geologist, will designate the places
where these wells will be put down, and
we will probably be somewhat wiser in
regard to the extent Of the artesian basin
which is supposed to underlie a large
part of the state.
This is the beginning of the govern
mental work to reclaim the arid lands of
the west, and make them productive,
and is step in the right direction. 1t
is estimated that when the plans of the
government ar5 carried out, that the re-
suit will furnish homes for nine millions
of homeless people. Viewing it from
every conceivable stand point this must
be considered the most benifcent enter
prise which our government has ever
undertaken. Hitherto the surplus mil
lions which has accumulated in Uncle
Sans treasure box, has been appropri-
ated for the improvement Of rivers and
harbors, deepening channels, building
levees, the erection Of public buildings,
etc. These were all necessary, but
viewing it in the light of the greatest
good to the greatest number, the appli-
cation of the funds for these purposes
does not, and has not yielded dollar for
dollar expended, one half of the benefit
to the people of the nation which will
arise from the redemption of our hither.
to waste and arid lands. In view of the
great blessing and far reaching benefit
which this measure guarantees to the
home seekers of our land, and to the up
building of our nation by the immigra.
ton which will flow in from other ma
tions, the great wonder is why this has
not been before. But when we come to
reflect, we find there are two reasons
which will at least in a great measure
account for the apathy which has been
shown by the nation in this regard.
The first of these is being a republic, our
representation in congress is in proper
ton to the population dwelling in each
state or district and every representative
works and votes for his own section or
as the saying is, "every fellow for his
own baliwick." In this manner the
east, by reason of its greater representa-
ton, has always been able to control the
appropriations, and has always decreed
that the bulk of the money should be
spent for the benefit of the eastern half
of the nation. This under the circum-
stances was perhaps unavoidable, and
we of the west have had to wait for our
"innings," and as the saying is, "every-
thing comes to him who waits" the time
has come when the western part of the
nation must take it's turn at the bat. 1t
has been long wait, but year by year
the center of power has shifted further
and further west, and the great Ameri.
can desert is coming to be looked upon
as the land of promise. 1t is we'll. ltis
time it should be so, and the jealousy of
the east can no longer hinder us from
the benefit of our heritage, the west is
coming to its own.
The other reason; and it is potent