Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-08-25
GEN. MILES IN THE WEST

AS q presidential candidate among
western people Mr.. Roosevelt will he
especially strong by virtue of the pub
lie support he has given to the policy [
Of national irrigation. There is one
other man in the United States, who
not only rivals the President in this
particular, but who antedates and may
thus be said to surpass him.
More than 13 years ago, or in March
1890, General Nelson A. Miles contrib
uted to the North American Review
an article on Our Unwatered Empire
in " hich he laid the claims of the nat |
ionai policy of irrigation strongly be !
fore the country. He called attention
to the vast arid acres of the West :
Which might be given to agriculture
by comprehensive system of impound
ing the waters of the upper country
and letting them flow out as needed
for agriculture. History has taught
est and surest method of intelligent
agriculture and he proceeded to urge
a national system of irrigation as fol-
lows:
The government of our country has
an important mission to perform, now
that it has once taken charge of the
work, and it is presumed that it will
continue until time wher the whole
irrigation system will be under its
control, with one simple law govern
ing it alike in all States and territories
Otherwise there is danger of confusion
and clashing of interests. AS to
whether it will be taken charge Of py
the federal government remains to be
seen. The enormous amount of money
required to place the desert lands in
a productive state would have to be
furnished by the government, as It
would be impossible for the States
and territories to complete such
system as is in contemplation; and the
funds expended should, by well ma
tured and comprehensive plan revert
ASNa>i -
government from the sale of its lands
thus improved.
What was then urged by General
Miles has since been adopted in fed
eral law by the last Congress, and the
article in question was made partic-
ular use of in getting the present law
through Congress Thus in a speech
on the bill in the National House one
of the leaders Of the irrigation forces
Mr.. Newlands, of Nevada, made the
following reference to it:
This article, broad, comprehensive
and statesmanlike covers all the phases
of the irrigation question, and presents
every consideration that should appea
to and enlighten legislation. No speech
in the Senate or in the House could
present the question in more intel
ligent and attractive way, and l shall
republish this, not only because it pre-
sents the views of a man of distinct
ion who, not content with prominence
in the art of war, has also trained him
self in the art of peace and in thos'
great constructive policies which
means the upbuilding of nation bu
also because this article, printed il
1890 indicates that the question wa!
thoroughly understood twelve year
ago; that as nothing can now be adde's
to the argument then presented, 81
nothing can be added twelve or twent,
years hence and that great question
which has received the careful cor
sideration of able minds for SO Ion
q period, has received the sanction @
the Board of Trade and Chambers c
Commerce throughout the land, an
the approval of the three great politica
parties in the last campaign can n
longer wait for action. The time
now.
Miles the soldier is no stranger !.
the WestBut great as are his claim
to consideration there is this parti'
ular, far exceeding those of any oths
man now living, that section also re;
son to remember him as the civilia
early presenting and strongly advOca
ing a great policy related to the arts .
peace which has now become embed
ed in national law.-Springfeld, Mas
Republican.
II|I,llIIUllnIlR
Frank Luke. former student {
the Nevada State University. has bee
summoned to San Francisco, to tai
the examination q Second Lieutenal
n the regular army.