The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-19
Yours very truly.
(REv.) NORMAN r. MARSHALL

| Tho National Irrigation Association IS
| publishing an interesting series OF papers rs
| by William L. Smythe. The trst, JUST
| out, Is a suitable accompaniment 10 KHS'
! Norman f. NIarshall's letter above. MI
| Smythe says:
The Irrigation law imposes a heavy re-
sponsibility upon the Secretary of the In
terror. That already busy o11lcial ~ IS ;
charged with the work Of selecting INC
projects to be undertaken, fixing the SIZE ~,
Of homesteads which may he taken up on
the public lands to be reclaimed anu
making rules and regulations for the use
and distribution Of the water supply. me
task is an arduous ana, IN soliie ea non
nicting interests that must be recon
ced. ~,
Furthermore, it is obvious that with a
mand the Secretary cannot build worSs
everywhere at once. western cGliiillMl,,-
ties are .proverbially enthusiastic over
their own local ADVANTAGES, ane pe tha
theirs is little the best valley IN az
the West and that they enjoy the glorii,
Gus privilege Of living on the best SOIL
that ever lay out doors na - ha disan.
pointed when the Interior Department.
makes its necessary, but always oifllcui,,
choice between the claims of rival local
files. 1t is a case where, many are
called. but few are chosen And SO IT
must be unless the nation shall some DAY
decide to enter upon the work on a laucH
greater scale.
tails of the new policy to the Geological
Survey, which has long been dealing WIN IN
photographic problems N the west t ana
lev Powell, was the first scientific man TO
comprehend the economic Value OF lhe
''' - REtI ANATIoN SERVICE.
The Director of the Survey organized
new branch to take charge OF ths e. ir re-
CATION work, naming 1t the UNITED states
Reclamation Service Frederick n. New
ell who has been M s snnrev 81 was made
chief Of the new service: re ne has . seh
trained for dozen years for Just such
an as II has come are 20 @
foundly pleased with the choice.
Mr.. Newell was confronted with the
task of organizing and setting IN motion
very large undertaklng, us ne c ~ ppe
plated expenditure will run into tens OF
millions. And the number OF people
whose veal or woe will ultimately depend
upon tho wisdom and honesty OF the az
ministration of this work will be equal 70
the total population of many an Amerl-
can State and many European nation i,ii
In other words, II Is s, n,g th'hs' rea"'i-
Mr.. Newell had the advantage OF VIDE
familiarity with the conditions or the
arid region to begin with. lie was LINUS 1n
tons with little loss Of time or money: 70
his end. he brought together large num-
bers of bright young men from Sar!ou :,
parts of the. country ana SET t .i.I "a. q.
work measuring streams, surveying re-
seryoirs and canal sites and estlmatinS
the cost and efficiency of the ilrst pro-
posed works. ,or
River. in Wyoming, the dam at The out
let of saint Nary Lake. in Montana. ana
tho diversion OF itr waters 10 the N'lh
River. tho construction of the Gunnl -, a
River tunnel for the irrigation or IN
compahgre Valley, IN Southwestern Col
| orndo, the construction OF a chain OF res
crvolrs on the boundary of Calitornlaa
and Nevada, for the reclamation or iahn
| in the latter state, and the building OF
the great Tonic Reservoir on the oa'l
wv = = millions OF COST.
1t Is estimated that these five projects
| will cost about seven million dollars and
reclaim upwards of six hundred Thousand
| acres of land. That is to say, 1t Will prob
| ably cost about Sll an acre to make d ms
| land 1T for the highest cultivation. me
money is not permanently invested BY
the government, 1t is to be returned by
| settlers in ten equal payments over a
| period OF ten years There Is no interest
| charge. The government collects its in
| terest In the form of social and eco
monte gains, which quickly materlalize
into taxable values for the benefit of
| the county, State and nation.
The new policy Is yet very young. l3ut
| marvellous progress has been made during
| Its first wear The work has gone on
| rather silently without any flourish of
| trumpets. And yet nothing more momen-
| tous has been undertaken by this govern
| ment In the way of internal Improvement.
| The nation set Its hand to task which
| has now grown entirely beyond the reach
| Of private effort, II It ever We're adapted
| to that method of development. 1t has
| undertaken to assert mans control over
| in "a Sf pi