The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-09-15
The Magic Of Water
Minneapolis Journal.

is a true desert of sand and alkali. des-
titute of vegetation, and in southern
California is the Salton desert about
300 feet below ocean level. 1t is esti-
mated by government experts that the
total desert area of the country en-
braces about 70, OOO,O 900 acres. The re-
NAMED of the arid country has a more
or less scanty vegetation Of some
value to man.
The government will experience
much difficulty, and probably ncoun
ter much well meant but undeserved
criticism in its attempt to preserve
what is lett Of the great irrigation
country for the benefit of the people.
The problems are, indeed, of a very
perplexingl character, and only a thor
oughly honest and intelligent admin
istration OF the new irrigation law can
bring even a measure of success. From
this time on it will be highly important
that the secretary of the interior, who
is charged with the administration OF
the law, be honest, energetic and we'll
informed. The law is so general in it's
terms that it will bear good or bad
fruit in proportion as it is administered
properly or otherwise. The president
recognizes this fact, which no doubt,
explains in part why he sticks to Sec
rotary Hitchcock, the most unpopular
cabinet officer for a generation, in any
party. Hitchcock is admittedly honest
and conscientious. He knows the west.
ern country. He has made a careful
study of irrigation. The president can
trust him implicitly. These things be.
ing thus, many of Hitchcock's unpleas.
ant characteristics can be overlooked
and the many peculiarities of tempera-
ment and character which bring down
upon his head the wrath of public
| men.
Difficulties to Be Encountered.
A brief look at one of the numerous
difficulties the government will en-
counter in it's administration of the
new irrigation law will be interesting.
The public land laws were drawn
with special reference to the broad
prairie country of the middle west, be-
tween the Alleghenies and the Mis-
souri, river, where the rainfall is suffi-
Gent. In that country every tract OF
$50 acres is practically as good as
every other tract, and each farmer is
entirely independent, as regards meth.
DDS OF agriculture. In the great ariG
and semi-arid region, however, the
value of lands depends entirely on the
water rights. The interests of the
farmers are closely related and cannot
be separated. While the tracts may
be equally good as to soil, values may
differ widely because one tract has
more water than another. The man
who owns the water virtually owns
everything of value. This fact has not
been sufficiently recognized in the
framing of laws regulating the dis
posal OF public lands, and the result
is seen in oppressive water monopolies
in many parts of the irrigation coun-
try. In many instances title to a few
acres has carried control over many
thousands, and in this way the build
ing of homes has been prevented, the
government having attempted to settle
the semi-arid west under the same
code of land laws which it Used in the
settlement of the Mississippi valley.
Actual Settlers to Benefit.
1t is the aim of the movement in the
new law regulating irrigation, to rem
edy this evil, so far as this may now
be possible; and to preserve what is
left of the public lands in the irriga-
ton territory for actual settlers. The
law will be administered to this end,
and SO the president must have in his
cabinet as secretary of the interior
a man of tried honesty and capacity,
with an eye single to the good OF the
secretary could, in four years time,
nullify the law and turn millions of
government money to the aid of pri-
waite spectators and great corporate
interests, who are even now trying to
take advantage of the law and real
for themselves as large a part as pos
sible of the benefit intended for the
general public.
In a previous article reference was
made to the Salt river project in west
ern Arizona. Much of the land to be
irrigated there is in the hands of pri-
vate owners, but an honest and fear
L 1ncc coa,.ofar.r % h