The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-22

its have fastened 20 express fears that
would never have arisen, had they stud
led the history Of irrigation In other
lands or the phraseology OF the new law.
Wide circulation has been given TO a
theory that the irrigation of the arid 1
west will ultimately result in its absolute
alkslization. One hay thinker makes
the ridiculous statement that genuine
" arid countries" are always ruined,
sooner or later by irrigation. Can the
Devil be more damned than ne is in the
nature of the case? What may the I'M
happy state OF genuinely arid" ccun-
try be when Il has reached the final con-
dition Of ruination that IS reared?
The theory OF the croaker is that the
irrigation water VIII sink few feet into
the surface soil, and then slowly. by
capillary action. rise TO the surface again
and evaporete. lifting with it the salts
in the soil. which will settle on the sur
face again, and gradually transform the
land into an alkali waste. That some
such condition has obtained in certain
parts OF the country Is not 70 be denied
It should, however, be generally known
that there is no cause for serious appre-
hension in any locality The problem
has been studied botn here and abroad,
and has been successfully solved. The
Investigations Of the Department of Agri-
culture covering over 100000 acres Of
land, have proved conclusively that ordin-
airy under-drainage. coupled with irriga-
ton and flooding, will reclaim the worst
alkali lands. The experiment has been
tried by department scientists in Utah,
California. and Arizona and the process
proved simple. cheap, practical. and who'll
~ successful. Surely the proposition Of
thing irrigated land for alkaline wash
ing is no more revolutionary than the ac-
cepted method Of drain thing used in the
eastern states.
The United States is not embarking
on an uncertain venture for which there
is no precedent. There is good reason to
believe that the irrigation ditch is as old
and respectable as the Pharoahs of Egypt
or the Mantezumas OF Mexico. That spe-
cial problems viii arise in this country
for which new solutions will nave to be
thought out may be reasonably expected. |
but the United States does not stand
alone in the effort It is making TO reclaim
arid territory, and the experience of other
nations is surely reassuring and should
be instructive. IN Egypt, for instance.
luXuriant crops OF cotton, rice, and glass
are being grown today on over hun
dred thousand acres Of irrigated land that !
has been washed Of its excessive alkaline |
salts by means OF systematic draining !
and flooding. Why should not products |
suited TO the climate OF the particular |
country thrive on any alkaline soil SINH |
larry treated?
Others of the Surveys correspondents /
have discovered that the cost OF reciama-
ton win be nearer $50 than s. per acre. |
as estimated by some OF the congressman |
who secured the passage or the irrigation |
law, and they insist that the enormous
outlay Of money which Will be required |
10 successfully complete these great |
works Will be an unjust burden upon the |
nation. These particular members Of that
lively class who are always feminist
the government, whatever its lively prop
osition may be, have. apparently. never
read the irrigation law. y perusal of t-.e
act would have show them that the mi
-ial outlay for the irrigation works Is
furnished by the sale Of the public lands
This fun is merely invested in these
works. the cost Of which is pro rated
among the settlers on the land reclaimed;
7 other words, It is the benehc'aries
alone, and not the poor, hypothetical,
ax-ridden, average citizen who will do
he burden-bearing As the settler VIII
AVE to reimburse the government for
very dollar spent in bringing him wa
er, the fund created by the sale OF pub
ic lands thus becomes an endless chain.
As rapidly as one irrigation work is COM
9leted. the moneys received for it will
20 towards the construction of another.
which. in turn, VIII repay its cost into
he fund
Reclamation engineers have plenty OF
difficulties 10 meet. though not the ores
magined by the alarmists. They are
sraveIy concerned over two questions:
The colonization Of the reclaimed areas
md the lack Of uniformity in the water
avs of the several states. The cause
or apprehension concerning the first
seems to be but slight, as the American
1eopIe have not been slow TO take advsn-
age of the good things the government
and in the United States, according TO
he last census. is S42 per acre. and the
acreage value OF products each year is SIS,
70. that, ii the initial cost per acre Of
hese irrigation works should be SO. it
ioes not seem reasonable to suppose that
armers Will hesitate 10 invest in these
arms
Those who have for years counted these
schemes among the good
hings coming may hope at least TO see
he beginning OF q far-sighted policy that
viii increase the nations empire by tive
ifths its area, and multiply the blessings
Il mankind. What potentate OF ancient
lines, who has literally made the desert
o blossom like a rose. would have been
efused a votive tablet by a grateful peo-
DE?