Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-10-02
WHAT IRRIGATION
'' LAW PROVIDES.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

have or not, they can now obtain wat
er under the law only by residence and
cultivation in small tracts, thus bring
ing about the intent of he act.
Whenever a project for a reclama-
ton of government land is declared to
be feasible, public lands under it are
Immediately taken up, under the terms
of the homestead law. and by the time
the works are completed the land is
all in private ownership. Thus, what
ever the initial condition may be,
whether the arid land was owned at
first by the government or by indi-
viduals, the results are the same,
namely, the establishment of homes
upon small farms.
Where the land holdings in the
hands of an individual or corporation
are large, water for these cannot be
obtained until they are subdivided
and disposed of in small tracts to act
ual settlers. These men must reside
continuously for five or ten years upon
the land and cultivate it before a ti;le
to the water can be had from the gov
eminent. Thus collision or evasion of
the purpose of the law is to a large
extent prevented. In a rapidly grow
ing country it is hardly credible that
any collision to obtain water a hold
throughout a long period. especially
with danger of forfeiture at the end Of
that time.
The main feature of the law is to
secure the development of the arid
region and the utilization of the great
resources which experience has shown
cannot be put to beneficial employment
by private enterprise, and which. if
properly utilized, become the greatest
sources of strength to the common
wealth, through the creation of homes.
1t matters little whether the lands
thus utilized happen to be at the time
of construction in private or public
ownership. The main thing is to Sc
cure ultimately the building of homes
and the placing of these in the hands
of people who become self-supporting
anil who can and will refund TO tho
government the cost of reclamation.
This is an object in which not only
the government. but all classes of citi-
zens, and most industries, are inter
ested. The transcontinental railroads
recognize that they will be first bene-
ficiaries, and the continuous gamers
by this home building movement, and
they have contributed largely tc the
success of the movement. Some of
them have land to sell, it is true. but
the profit from the sale of land is as
nothing compared to the annual traffic
resulting from the establishment of in
Vulnerable homes. The railroads
might sell the lands to cattlemen, but,
as a matter of business. it would be
far better to donate them to settlers
living on irrigated farms. The man
ufacturing and jobbing interests of the
east nave also contributed to this work,
as they believe that in the west is the
greatest home market for manufact-
ured products.
1t has sometimes been held up as a
reflection against the advocates of ma
tional irrigation that the great rail
roads and the manufacturers of the
east are interested and have contribut
ed time and influence to the cause,
hut in this direction the interests o.
the people of the country and that OF
The railroads and industrial organi7a-
tons are identical, namely, to bring
home and the opportunities for max
ire one.
Private enterprise has by no means
ceased, as there are many localities
where irrigation works can be, and are
being. built by individuals and corpo'
ations, but the great works can never
re commercially successful. and vas.
tracts of fertile land will be condemned
to sterility unless the government in
tervenes. as it is nov doing, through
the operation of the reclamation law
If this law is successfully admins
tered thousands Of prosperous o 6