The Springfield herald., 1904-10-14

The heart of the great West has been
touched by the sincere, persistent, effec-
tive friendship of President Roosevelt.
1t had begun. but only partially, to feel
its great need; when this strong, ideal
American stepped up to it and handed
it the golden key which is to unlock its
limitless, latent wealth-greater than the
combined mineral deposits of all the
world
BY one stroke of his pen he gave the
United States new empire greater in
possibilities, for good to the human race
than all that other great section situat-
ed between the Atlantic Ocean and the
Mississippi River. The National lrri-
cation Act will transform l2o.OO,Ooo
acres of land from desert to garden. 1t
will create the greatest home market this
country has ever known. 1t will make
happy homes for millions of free Ameri-
cans. 1t will establish forever the pres
tige of our commerce in the Orient. 1t
will cause President Roosevelt's name
and his official acts to be gratefully re-
membered for all time to come.
All the People Interested.
All American citizens are essentially
interested in the operations of the Ma
tional Irrigation Act for the reason that
its influence on domestic trade and for
eign commerce il destined to be simply
incalculable. The reclamation of arid
America along the lines OF the National
Irrigation Act means "a home for every
man who wants one" 1t means that
when settler gets ready to obtain his
share of the National heritage he will
obtain not only fertile soil, but the water
necessary to make it a self-sustaining
home and that the water right is guar
anteed by the government of the United
States. This Is, beyond all comparison.
one of the greatest things ever attempt
ed by the American people.
Pregnant with great possibilities is
this PROPOSED irrigation of l25, 100000
acres OF the peoples domain. m area
that now supports but meager pOpu-
lstion. Under irrigation farms are small
because the yield of the land is very
much greater in proportion to cost and
operating expenses than 1t is where the
clouds are the first and sole reliance for
a water supply. 1t follows that there
will be dense population OH our irri-
gated area and greatly increased mar
ket for the manufactured products of the
rest of the country. The railroads and
all other industries will profit by the
reclamation of n region. so vast in eN-
tent, and its settlement by a prosperous
population. =
Wealth beyond Compare.
According to the National census of
1900 the total improved farm area of the
United States was Ala. 100000 acres. 1t
is conservatively estimated that the re-
claimable land is not less than 125, ,OOO,-
600 acres. Its reclamation, therefore,
will add much more than one-fourth to
the actual crop-producing area OF the
country and will exceed by liberal mar
gin, the tllabc land of all the States
on the Atlantic Coast from Maine to
Florida-excep n modest portion of New
York. Allowing twenty acres as the
average size OF irrigated farms, this area
will make 6,25O.OOO farms or more than
the number in the United States in 1900.
The total value of all farms in 1900, in
GLIDING all improvements except build
ings, was Sl3, 100000. At $42.5O per
acre, the average value Of irrigated land.
the 125.OOO,OOO acres to be reclaimed
will add to the. value of the farm land
S5,312, 100000. II buildings are nclud-
ed the value will be increased by S.
b5OOO0.O00; while the augmented wealth
through railroads, cities. mills and fac
tories is beyond estimation. The an
nual value of all the farm products in
1900 was $4.3T9, 100000. The average
per acre of products of irrigated land
was Sl4S1. At this rate, the area to
!. be reclaimed will add products worth
s.. .S51 .250.OO0. an addition of nearly
half OF the life sustaining power Of the
country.
Will Not Compete with Enst.
National irrigation will amount to a
series OF loans by the government and
the supervision of the construction work
and water distribution. AS to the ques-
ton whether the products of the irri-
gated west will compete with eastern
farm products. it is only necessary to
travel through the West and see what
it raises under irrigation to understand
that there will never be any such com
petition. Irrigated farms are small and
TOO valua BILE to grow the staple products.
They are devoted to fruit culture or to
alfalfa raising. In California. for in
stance, where irrigation is Oldest and
where its highest types are found, the
farm unit, instead of being 100 or 200
acres as in the East, is 40. 20 and D
acres Fine fruits. wines and dairy pro-
duets are raised and cattle are fattened.
1t Is difficult to name n California farm
product which comes East and actually
compe,es with Eastern products.
We get from California, oranges. lem
ons. prunes. raisins. figs, olives. wines.
dried fruits, etc.-luSuries; on the other
hand the Eastern farmers derive dis
tinct benefit from irrigation in Califor-
mia. for it makes California, and she fur
nishes n greedy market for every sort of
Eastern manufactured product, sending
her money back to New England and
throughout the East and thereby stimu-
lating manufacturing. Busy factories
and well paid. steadily employed factory
hands mean good Eastern markets for
Eastern farm products.
Precedent Cited.
A)ur friends the farmers of the East
Nre somewhat alarmed ns to what the
result migth be when the tide wa west
ward and settling up the eastern por-
tio, of the Mississippi Valley. but the