The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-10-05


considered wise not to force matters
out to risk some delay, rather than
by main strength to bring about re-
forms which will be appreciated only
after some years.
The government is still the owner
OF from one-half 10 nine-tenths of the
area of each Of the western states
and territories. 1t is in effect the
great land owner, and will probably
always remain the proprietor of the
sreat mountain masses covered in
part with trees, and from which come
the waters essential to the life of ag-
riculture. Much of the best land in
the valleys has, however, passed into
private ownership, and along every
stream is continuous succession of
claims taken up under the homestead
or desert law. The public land as a
rule, is on the the bench land adpa-
cent to the valleys. Nearly every
scheme for the reclamation of gov
eminent land must Of necessity in
yolve the irrigation of lands in pri-
vate ownership. The provisions of
the law are such that the lands owned
BY individuals can be irrigated in
small tracts, not to exceed $50 acres
being allowed to each individual
Great care is being taken to have
this feature of the law enforced in
such a way as to require continuous
residence and cultivation of the land,
whether originally in private or pub
lie ownership, the chief purpose being
to bring about Immediately a dense
settlement in small, self-sustaining
farms.
in the various projects under con-
sideration are all extremes, from
those where nearly all the land is in
public ownership, to those where most
of the land is now owned by individ-
uals. In the latter case the lands
are now, for the most part, vacant,
cultivation having been attempted
with an inadequate supply of water,
and failure ensued. If the land in prl-
vate ownership were already irrigat
ed, there would Of course be no need
Of governmental interference, but in
the majority Of instances settlers
have come in, with good faith, and
tried to make homes. In any event,
whether they have or not. they can
now obtain water under the law, only
by residence and cultivation in small
tracts, thus bringing about the intent
of the act.
How Project Is Worked.
"Whenever a project for reclama-
ton of government land is declared
to be feasible, public lands under ~
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,
whatever the initial condition may be,
whether the arid land was owned at
first by the government or by indiv-
uals, the results are the same. name
ly 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 actual
settlers. These men must reside con-
tinuOusly for five or ten years upon
the land, and cultivate it before a
clear title to the water can be had
from the government. Thus, collu-
sion, or evasion, of the purpose of
the law is to large extent prevented
In a rapidly growing country it is
hardly credible that any collision 20
obtain water can 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 employ
ment by private enterprise, and which
if properly utilized, becomes the
greatest sources Of strength to the
commonwealth, 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 secure ultimately the building
of homes and the placing Of these in
the hands of the people who become
self-supporting and who can and will
refund to the government the cost of
reclamation. This is an object in
which not only the government, but
all classes of citizens, and most in
dustries, are interested.
Benefits Railroads.
The transcontinental railroads re-
cognize that they will be first bene-
ficiaries, and the continuous gamers
by this home building movement and
they have contributed largely to the
success of the movement. Some of
them have land to sell, it is true, but
the profit for the sale of the land is
as nothing compared to the annual