The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-24
IRRIGATION ITEMS.

HOW NEVADA WAS STOLEN.
The first government irrigation work
undertaken, now in progress in Nevada
promises an unprecedented development
for that state, in area three times the
/ size of Indiana, but with present popu-
! lation scarcely sufficient for single
county. In speaking Of the government
/ irrigation programme before the National
! Geographic Society at Washington the
/ other evening, Frederick II. Newell. the
nationa! photographer said: IF the works
! are well administered and the irrigation
+ fund carefully preserved. it will be pos
sible to bring about a great development
Of The west and to make homes for thous-
ands of families. For example, if instead
of 10000 people in Nevada, 4C0,O09 can find
prosperous homes, the conditions of inter
nal trade and commerce may be vitahy
altered"
As matter Of fact the federal irIiga-
ton law seems more to Nevada than to
any other state in the Union, and her
history IS che which can he studied with
profit by those who are searching for
light on the question of proper admin
stration OF the public domain. Nevada,
since her admission. has never proceeded
upon the theory that her lands should
be preserved for home builders; and the
result is that the population OF the whole
state, while hardly that of a decent sized
city, is Yet at a stanGstil and win con-
tinue to remain so until farm lands are
thrown open 10 settlement in small tracts
through government irrigation.
When Nevada was admitted to the
CnfofI, in place OF receiving the usual do
notion of alternate sections is ana 50 in
every township. to be used or sold for
educational purposes, she secured n fiat
grant from the government Of 1000, 900
acres OF public land to be located any
where her lawmakers saw fit \ quick
acting legislature passed the bluk of This
great and valuable domain into the pr
yate ownership of stock men, without any
material benefit to the state to which its
citizens can now point. These lands are
located up and down the sides of every
river and stream and surrounding every
spring and water hole in the state. So
that while Nevada today has some GO, O00,-
600 acres OF public land, there is not a
quarter section Of it upon which a home
steader could make a living. The land
granted to the state for school purposes
disposed of by the state for mess Of
pottase. controls the balance OF the state
The government plans, when worked out
in their entirety in Nevada, will reclaim
something like 100000 acres. which will
provide new life blood of settlement
and citizenship for this region of natur-
ally great agricultural possbiities.
Nevada affords an excellent example of
land stealing. 1t was done legally. but
il was stealing So under our present
land laws. with the exception Of the
Homestead Law. Great areas are being
taken under them. and except in such
cases as have recently come 10 light IN
der the Timber Law. they are being legal
~ taken. Nevertheless they are steals
steals against the people of the country.
and the people would do Wen TO instruct
congress TO shut them of through quick
repeal Of such laws
LAND LAWS NEED DRASTIC ACTION
The unexpectedly large sum OF sl5.0Co.
Gao available for government irrigation
works with the irrigation law only one
year uron the statute books has caused
q great activity in the western states to
secure the construction Of the dams ana
bitches in the various localities. This is
well. ard the opening of these lands ID
homes viii add 10 the national wealth
and benefit the whole country. but the
necessity is now seen for some ad5i ionai
legislation TO prevent the land which the
governments proposes 70 ifrisate from
nrst getting into TIE hands % the speca-
justly made that government appIopgis-
tions are being spent mostly FOR the
benefit OF the land dealers. spectators
and live stock interests. Nor can any
rigid administration OF the present laws
The Timber ana Stone Law. the Cornnu-
ta,ion Clause cf the Homestead Law and
The Desert Land Lav-Ienedy The evil
rs it has been claimed can Re d0-e IN
a recent Interview Al Washington on the
subject George II Maxwell executive
chairman OF the National Irrigation Asso-
citation said:
The fault is not in the administration
Of the laws. The laws themselves are
structurally and fundamentally wrong
They cannos be administered ard they
cannot be amended SO as to prevent these
abuses. The Deset and Land act espe-
c:ally violates tire base principle Of IN.
whole national irrigation movement.
which IS that no one shall have an acre
of tbs public land who Nfli moi found
home upon il AID I've on il Fsr I've
years as required by the original home
stead set u we are 10 save The ruh,-c
lands Tor these who viii found homes
upon them. snd prevent their ba.rg used
fo- speculation - the detriment of the
country, congross must eject prompt ro-
Hef.
IN insenisis matchmaker n Paris.
France. has invented a ~Unien watch
mat goes only eight hours day Il is
intended. il seems. Tor TIE use OF walk
fnr- ,;slagsfes