The Springfield herald., 1904-09-23
GREAT AND GROWING WEST
irrigation Will Change Deserts to Gardens and
Provide Lands for Millions of Homes
:ROOSEVELTS STRONG, FRIENDLY HAND
A Policy that Increases the Sum of Human
Happiness and Enlarges and Strength
ems the Republic.
acres more may possibly be added to the

acres more may possibly be added to the
reclamation area.
Nature Did the Needfui.
Nature seems to have employed every
resource Mt its command to make the
mountain aud plain region the most fav-
orcd portion of the earth's surface for
the habitation of man. This section will
one day be the seat of empire OF the
United States, and. consequently, the
world. For n distance of more than q
thousand miles there are successive
chains of mountains. in general course
running north aud south and on parallel
lines, with numerous valleys occupyin.
the immediate ground.
Each valley, large or small, has Its
stream, carrying, with rapid fall, the
melting SHOWS OF the tributary noun
tnins. The grades in general favor the
operation of irrigating canals which
take the water from streams and carry
it at moderate fall to lines above
the cultivated land. As the spring sea-
son advances. the rainfall decreases, the
crops need more and more water. which
, is furnished automatically by the gradual
Increase of the temperature along and
up the mountain side. reachin. the light
est deposit of snow first. and then, during
the later and hotter months, drawing
upon the reserve of the deeper and less
easier melted ice at the higher attitudes.
| Fertility of Arid soii.
| Under the rains OF centuries much OF
| the soluble plant foods in eastern soils
I have been washed into the sea. Where
no rainfall exists the plant food remains
| The government analyses Of soils show
that the arid lands average three timea
! as much potash. six times rs much mag
ncsia and fourteen times as much limo
as the humid lands. Any farmer will
tell you that limestone country Is
rich country. To replace the food taken
| by growing plants the eastern farmer
resorts to fertilizers and manure. Start
ing with rich soil. the irrigationist also
finds fertilizing strength in the water he
uses The manurial value held in solu-
ton in Sc inches of water-the amount
applied to one acre in u season at the
University of Arizona-amounted to
$D.O7. Ten acres under irrigation aver
age better returns than 4O-acre crops, in
the usual way.
Land Very Valuable.
In those communities of the west
which have been created by irriga ton.
the average yield of wheat, potatoes and
small fruits far exceeds that of the best
| farming district in Iowa or Missouri
1 or the best part of the Mississippi Val
| ley. Although comparatively remote
from the worlds markets for products,
an acre of land under water rights in
the very heart Of the arid region, will
command higher price than an acre in
the humid Mississippi Valley. The farm
ers have learned that 40 acres, well till
ed, will yield more profit than 400 acres
fnrmed in the old, haphazard way. In
tensive farming and larger profits from
smaller farms nre making closely settled
communities, establishing nearby neigh
bors, schools. churches and libraries. and
the isolation of old farm life no longer
exists. The farmer makes more money.
and the deadly monotony of life does
not drive his children from home, or
his wife to the insane asylum.
J Roosevelt Immorta,iz-d.
The passage of the National Irriga-
ton Act is tantamount to saying that
the west is already redeemed-it is now
only n question of time. Perhaps no
law has been passed since the founda-
ton of this government winch has been
or can be so prolific in great and last
ing results to the United States. No
law has ever been enacted which will
add so much stability, wealth. happi-
ness and general prosperity to the peo-
pie and the government as the National
Irrigation Law.
Here is new field for the most hope
full speculation. 1t cannot be that any
human mind has yet been able to esti-
mate the far-reaching, the fruitful re-
suits which will follow in the wake of
this National Act. Lincoln is immortal
lied for his Emancipation Proclamation.
Roosevelt will he immortalized because
he has done that which will set free
from the thraldom of the congested CEN
tiers of population. millions of families
, who can and will feel grateful to hin,
and his memory rs they sit under their
own vine and fgtree and enjoy all the
comforts and contentment of their new
and enlarged life of health, happiness
md usefulness