Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-25

Washington. July 2O-The' 18th Of
June is marked with red letters on the
calendar OF American patriotism as
Bunker Hll day The same day also
witnessed last year President Roose-
vets approval Of the National lHiga-
ton Act and the enthusiastic friends OF
the irrigation policy take considerable
satisfaction in the fact that both events
may be celebrated on the same day and
are inclined to claim that future gener-
atoms will lind almost as much glory
and pride In the statesmanllke deed OF
1902 as they win In the military deed OF
l775,
The stubborn and unequal contest at
Bunker HIN was one OF the lhings
which gave US q country 10 work Tor,
and the long sought victory OF national
irrigation was certainly one OF the most
important steps in that countrys de-
velUpment
The irrigation law imposes heavy
responsibility upon the secretary OF the
interior That already busy official is
charged with the work Of selecting the
projects To be undertaken, iXing the
size Of hOnesteads which may b. taken
up on the public lands to be reclaimed
and making rules and regulations for
the use and distribution OF the water
supply. The task Is an arduOus and,
in some cases, a delicate one, since
there are often conflicting interests that
must be recOnciled.
Furthermore, Il Is obvious that with
a Limited amount of money at his COM
mand the secretary can not build works
everywhere at once. Western commune
ties are proyerbially enthusiastic over
their own local advantages The peo-
pie OF each valley are prone TO believe
that theirs Is a little the best valley In
all the west and that they enjoy the
glorious privilege OF living on the best
soil that ever lay out doors"
Hence they are bound 70 be dlsap-
pointed when the interior department
makes It's necessary, but always difficult,
choice between the claims OF rival To-
caities II is a case where many are
called, but few are chosen And 50 it
must be unless the nation shall some
day decide 10 enter upon the work on a
much greater scale.
secy Hitchcock committed the de-
tails Of the new policy to the geological
survey. which has long been dealing
with photographic problems IN the west
ana whose founder, the late Mai John
Wesley Powell, was the first scientific
man TO comprehend the economic value
Of the arid region.
The director Of the survey organized
a new branch TO take charge Of the lT-
rigaton work, naming Il the United
states reclamation service Frederic
II, Newell, who has been in charge Of
water investigations IN the survey was
made chief Of The new service. lie has
been trained Tor a dozen years for just
such an opportunity as has now come
to him ard the friends Of Irrigation are
profoundly pleased with the choice.
Mr. Newell was confronted with the !
task Of organizing and setting In mo-
ton a very large undertaking. Its field |
Of operations Is half a continent Its
contemplated expenditure VIII run into |
tens Of millions. And the number OF |
people whose veal or woe will ultimate. |
ly depend upon the wisdom and honesty |
OF the administration OF this work win |
be equal TO the total population Of |
many an American state and many |
European nation In other words. ID rs |
q big thing, requiring the services Of
big men
ar Newell had the advantage OF
wide familiarity with the conditions Of
The arid region 10 begin with. he was
thus able 10 direct the preliminary in.
vestlgations with little loss Of time or
money. To this end, he brought togeth.
or large numbers OF bright young men
nom various parts Of the country and
set them at work measuring streams
surveying reservoirs and canal sites
and estimating the coat and efficiency Of
the first proposed works
These are the dam on The SweetwSter !
river In Wyoming, the dam a the