Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-08-01
REDEEMING THE WEST.
Roosevelt the Friend Of the Arid
Region.
GROWTH OF IRRIGATION SENTIMENT.

Three preside; IS OF the United
States have toured the arid region OF
the west In the past twelve years.
rhe view which they entertained OF ir-
rigation. as disciosed IN tneir speeches,
furnishes a most interesting gauge by
which to measure the growth of that
cause.
BENJAMIN Harrison traversed the
west twelve years ago, in 1881. The |
date of his trip was coincident with |
the earliest national organization look |
ing 20 a development OF a widespread |
public sentiment in aid OF irrigation |
At that time nobody seriously dreamed |
of system of public works, and GER
tainly not of public works to he
built by the nation.
Presi, ent harrison marveled at the |
contrast between the desert and the
garden, wherever he beheld the results
OF irrigation. ne paid many graceful
compliments to the pioneers who had
overcome natural difficulties and made
the streams flow upon the land. But
there was nothing, either In his
| speeches or his conversation. to show
| that he had any apprec .ation OF the
| fact that he was In the presence OF one
OF the tremendous national issues of
! the future.
On the contrary. he held to the
eastern view that irrigation is a poor
makeshift for rain and he was plainly
| relieved when he opened his eyes one
morning to find himself back in the
rainfall region. This was at Hastings.
there he made speech from the
end OF the train ana congratulated his
hearers on living in place where
God furnishes the rain" The people
applauded enthusiastically At that
time the name OF irrigation had no
power to evoke popular response any
where.
Mckinley and the West.
II was ten years later when VIII
liam Mckinley made much the same
trip that President Harrison had taken
in 1891. During the intervening de-
cade public sentiment had undergone
a change concerning irrigation. Time
had shown that the reclamation OF
arid lands. and the making Of homes
upon them. is a work which does not
lenu itself to speculative methods. like
mining and BODYBUILDING. II is sober
industrial process which pays enor-
mously In the way OF social and
economic gains. but does not return
glittering profits to the absentee inves-
tor, nor for the boomer, the promoter
and the Spectator.
&. william Mckinley looked upon the
arid region with a vision which was
, denied his predecessor. He was able
to see that irrigation possesses certain
advantages over dependence on rain.
falls and that the day would come
when II would present a practical Is
- .t.. Al a
as much In his speeches and went
D further IN private conversation. But
, he also added that II was a question
, for the future which would he dealt
, with after .e had passed from the
stage OF action. Few men have had
so rare a faculty as Mckinley for un
I Outstanding the real condition OF pub
K lie opinion and keeping abreast OF IL
!. rather than so far in advance that
p their utterances coula have only AGA
g ( demlc value. And yet this time ever
Mckinley was deceived-he did moi
know the strength OF the national ir
= rigation sentiment, nor did he appre
e ciate how nearly ripe was the new
4 issue.
[ Roosevelt the Champion OF irrigation
4 Following Mckinley by only tive
|, years, Theodore Roosevelt beheld {
V wave OF public sentiment In behalf o.
national irrigation. True. he had done
muc.l to create this wave. both before
and after his accession to the pre-
sidency. But no one man, even II h
+ pc first in all the land, makes Americ
an public opinion.
r In the two short years intervening
I. between the visits OF Mckinley an,
! Roosevelt the irrigation idea took roo
q and spread as perhaps no other socia
. and economic proposition ever did Il
this country In the same space o
II time. The President and his travelling
companions looked out and behel,
B. the desert, as the earlier president
" and their friends had done. But the
Is saw not the desert alone-they ha
the imagination and the gift OF propf
Ia ecy TO see the streams haressed an
- moving. like bands OF silver, acros
- the soil; to see the brown waste Civ
y place to field, orchard, and garden;
see cactus. sagebrush and greasewoo
a. fall back TO make room for red-roofet
le vine covered cottages. And In thel
is ears was the murmur OF movin
At waters and the laughter Of happ
"A children.
"A Future Swings round the Circle.
- What President Roosevelt and hi
" companions beheld in imagination
N the next president who tours the ari
raoiaua will luau hv avidauaa ~ NJ