The independent., 1903-03-19
NEBRASKA IRRIGATION
Mr.. Stewards Paper Read Before tho Ne
braska Irrig~tien Association

UroSkn lrEBotton AbsoC1ahVn
Hon. H. G. Stewart, of Mitchell,
Neb., was on the program for a paper
to be read before the irrigation meet
ing held some weeks ago at Lincoln,
but was unable to attend. His knowl-
edge of conditions in western Nebras-
ka gives great weight to what he has
to say on the subject. The paper is
as follows:
regret exceedingly that circum-
stances prevent me from attending this
meeting of the Nebraska irrigation as
sociation. And | also regret that these
very important gatherings are not
made more SO by being held in the
region of operative irrigation.
While irrigation is as old as the
race and was the primitive method OF
agriculture, to us it is new; and an
association organized to promote and
fabric the practical experience of the
man behind the shovel. To do this
a part of it's meetings at least should
be held where they will be accessible
to practical irrigators.
'Supposing that this association IS
interested in pushing forward every
thing promotive of irrigation and espe-
cia1ly measures suited to Nebraska,
[ wish to bring to your notice GER
tain of our necessities on the line OF
national aid to irrigation or to the
reclamation OF arid lands. To that end
and for the purpose of making myself
understood briefly, have proposed
a bill setting forth what | deem to be
hn ~; oIo frx, nj
it would be Immediately available and
would cost the general government
nothing in the end, as there seems to
be strong opposition to government
aid which involves the expenditure of
money. While l think the present
national irrigation law good one, it's
benefits are too far in the future for
us of this generation, but when
worked out 1t will be productive Of
great things. Mr.. Newlands himself
said it would take fifty years to per-
feet the plan. No doubt most of us
may need water as bad then as we do
now, but see no provision in the law
locating reservoir in the region we
are likely to occupy and this is one in
stance wherein congress cannot be ac-
cused Of looking out for itself.
''Be it enacted by the senate and
house of representatives of the United
States in congress assembled.
Section l. That when the citizens
of any state having district irriga-
tion law shall organize themselves into
a district under such law, having
voted bonds to construct or purchase
irrigation works, shall have complied
with the law as to voting bonds and
to having such action passed upon by
the court, then the government of
the United States shall take such bonds
at their face value and pay therefor
out of current funds or out of any
special fund created for such purpose
under the following conditions:
"Sec. 2. Before the irrigation dis
trict bonds shall be purchased by the
government, the state engineer in
company with an engineer employed
by directors of the district shall run
the proposed route, make an estimate
of cost of the completed works and the
number of acres to be irrigated there
by, and measure the water supply. The
report of the said engineers containing
Sucn estimates Shall Ue lOT Wal uou u
the secretary of the treasury at Wash
ington who shall Immediately dispatch
a competent engineer in the govern
ment employ to review said estimates
of such works and If his report shall
agree as to cost and practicabflity
with the estimates of the aforesaid en-
gineers and if such estimated cost shall
not exceed six dollars per acre of ir-
rigable land for dirt ditch or nine dol
lars per acre for stone ditch then the
secretary of the treasury of the United
States is hereby authorized to pur-
chase with any available funds provid-
ed by congress the per cent twenty
year coupon bonds Of said district,
payment to be made therefor as con-
struction proceeds upon estimates
made and signed by the d strict
board and their engineer and indorsed
by the government engineer who shall
be associated with the district engi-
neer upon said works until COM
pleted."
I simply offer this as the outline of
a plan which I believe would be Of
greater benefit than anything else
which is within the range of possibil-