The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-29
TALE OF THE CHIEF
OF IRRIGATIONISTS
Professor H. Newell Chief the United States Reclamation Service
Outlines in suocinc and Interesting Fashion the Federal Under
taking

business-like sale, as it is essential to se-
cure and maintain the good will Of the
community. 1t is considered wise not to
force matters. but to risk some delay,
rather than by main strength to bring
about reforms which will be appreciated
only after some years.
The government is still the owner of
from one-half to nine-tenths of the area
of each of the western states and terri
tories It is in effect the great land
owner, and will probably always remain
the proprietor Of the great mountain
masses covered in part with trees, and
from which come the waters essential to
the life of agriculture. 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 rule,
is on the bench land adjacent to the val
tleys Nearly every scheme for the recla-
nation of government land must Of neces-
sity involve the irrigation of lands in pri-
yate ownership. The provisions of the
law are such that the lands owned by
individuals can be irrigated in small
tracts, not to exceed 100 acres being all
lowed for 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
public ownership, the chief purpose being
to bring about Immediately dense settle
ment In small, self sustaining farms.
In the various projects under considera-
ton are all extremes, from those where
nearly all Of the land is in public owner
ship to those where most Of the land is
now owned by individuals. 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 private
ownership were already irrigated there
would Of course be no need of govern
mental 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
Whenever a project for reclamation of
government land Is declared to be feas-
ible, public lands under it are Immediately
taken up, under the terms of the home
stead law, and by the time the works are
completed the land is all In private own
ership. Thus, whatever the initial condi-
ton may be, whether the arid land was
I owned at first by the government or by
individuals, the results are the same,
namely, 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 continuously for hve or ter
years upon the land and cultivate it be.
fore a clear title to the water can be
had from the government. Thus collusion
or evasion of the purpose of the law Is to
a large extent prevented. In a rapidly
! growing country it is hardly credible that
| any collision to obtain water can hold
turnout a long period. especially with dan
! ger Of forfeiture at the end of that time
! The main featur Of the law is to secur,
the development of the arid region anG
| the utilization of the great resources
Which experience has shown cannot be
put to beneficial employment by private
enterprise, and which, if properly utilized
become the greatest sources of strength
to the commonwealth thru 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 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 industries
are interested. The transcontinental rail-
roads recognize that they will be ilrst ben
ehciaries, 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 from
the sale of land is as nothing compared
to the annual traffic resulting from the
establishment Of innumerable homes. The
railroads might sell the lands to cattle
men, but, as a matter of business IL
would be far better to donate them to set
tiers living on irrigated farms The man
ufacturing and jobhing interests Of the
east have also contributed to this work
as they believe that In the west is the
greatest home market for manufactured
products.
It has sometimes been held up as a re-
Election against the advocates Of national
irrigation that the great railroads and the
manufacturers of the east are interested
and have contributed time and influence
to the cause, but in this direction the in
terest of the people of the country and
that of the railroads and industrial organ
izations are identical, namely, to bring to-
gether the man who Is seeking home
and the opportunities for making one
Private enterprise has by no means
ceased, as there are many localities where
irrigation works can be, and are being,
built by individuals and corporations, but
the great works can never be commercial
ly successful, and vast tracts Of fertile
land will be condemned to sterility unless
the government intervenes, as it Is now
doing, thru the operations of the reclama
ton law. If this law is successfully ad.
ninistered, thousands Of prosperous
| homes will be made in localities now
waste and desolate, and the common
| wealth strengthened by the addition OF
a conservative, prosperous class Of citi.
zens. w. w Jermane.