La Junta tribune., 1904-10-15
How Irrigation Will Develop the One and Ger.
tany Secure the Other.
ROOSEvELT'S INSPIRING AMERICANISM
While Creating New Agricultural and Horti.
cultural World at Home, He Would
Establish Commercial Pres
tige in the Orient.

1Ae heart OF the great West has been
,auciesi by the sincere, persistent, cfec-
uvs friendship OF President Roosevelt
3; bad begun. bur only partially, To feel
IT'S great need: when this strong, ideal
American stepped up 20 il and handed
y tbs golden key which Is to unlock its
Mindless. latent wralth-Sreafer than the
vDmblaei mineral deposits Of ell the
World.
by one stroke Of his pen he gave the
United States "A new empire greater in
possibilities, for good TO the human race,
than all that other great section situat-
~d between the Atlantic Ocean aud the
Mississippi River The National lrri-
CATION Act will transform l2J.Ooo,OoD
acres of land from desert TO garden II
will create the greatest home market this
country has ever known. Ii Will make
happy homes for millions OF free Ameri'
anA IL will establish forever the pres
dgs Of our commerce In the Orient. 1t
will cause President Roossyelt's name
and his othcial acts 20 be gratefully re-
nesnbered for all time TO come
All the People Interested.
All American citizens are essentially
Interested in the operations OF the Ma
aonAi Irrigation Act for the reason that
its Influence on domestic trade and for
agn commerce is destined TO be simply
ncalea.able- The reclamation OF arid
America along the lines Of the National
Irrigation Act means "a home for every
man who wants one" II means that
when a settler gets ready to obtain his
share OF the National heritage he will
sbtain sot only fertile soil, but the water
accessary TO make II ssif-sustaining
Aome and that the water right Is guar
snt-eJ 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 "a
diis proposed Irrigation of l2J,c0o.OoO
acres of the peoples domain, an area
that now supports but mcager pOpu.
lstion. Under irrigation farms are small
because the yield OF the land il very
much greater in proportion to cost and
operating expense. than il u where the
ciouds are the first and sole reliance for
water supply. IL follows that there
viii be dense population oa our irri-
gated area and a 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 a region, so vast in eS-
tent. and its settlement by a prosperous
population.
Wealth Beyond Compare.
According 10 the National census OF
1900 the total improved farm area of the
United States was ili.SODDpo acres. IL
~ csaservatively estimated that the re.
sssiuiabie land is not less than i2J. .ooO-
900 acres. lts reclamation, therefore
viii add much more than one-rourth to
Cse actual crop-pr"iucins area OF the
country and will exceed by n liberal mar
gin, the tillabls land of all the States
On the Atlantic Coast from Maine 70
Florida-excep; a modest portion Of New
York. Allowing tweuty acres as the
average size Of irrigated farms. this area
will make G.2JO.0oO farms or more than
dc number In the United States in 1900
The total value 81 all farms in 1900 in
ciadibs all improvements except build
isgs, was SlJ,lljOOO.OOo. Al Si25O per
acre, the average value Of irrigated land.
,he i25,OOOcDo acres u be reclaimed
viii add % the value OF the farm land
S53i2Joo.coO. IL buildings are includ.
ID. the value will be increased by 81.
S5o.ooo0 900; while the augmented wealth
through yailrOads. cities mills and fac
tories is' beyond estimation. The an-
nuai value OF all the farm products Ia
100 wss Si.319OyDcpp. The average
per acre Of products OF irrigated land
was siiSl. At this rate the area to
sc reclaimed win add products worth
$i.ssl. .2JO.OOo. an addition OF nearly
half 81 the life sustaining power OF the
country.
VIII Not Compete with East.
National irrigation will amount to
series of loans by the government and
the supervision Of the construction work
and water distribution A. to the ques.
soa whether the products Of the irri-
gated west viii compete with eastern
farm products. il is only necessary TO
travel through the West and see what
IL raises under Irrigation to understand
that there will never be any such com
petition. Irrigated farms are small and
eeo valua bic to grow the staple products.
They are devoted TO fruit culture or to
alfalfa raising. In California. for in
stance. whore irrigation is oldest aud
where its highest types are found the
farm unit. instead OF being 100 or 20O
acrcs az in the East. is 40. % and ;
acres Fine fruits. wines and dairy pro
jact< are raised and cattle are faiteued
II Is difflcui; forname a California farm
product which comes East and actualiy
compete- with Eastern products
We get from California oranges lem
Sas. prunes. rsisin-. hgs. olives. wines.
dried fruits. ete.--luxuries. on the other
hand. the Eastern farmers derive a dis
dscs benefit from irrigation ia Cslifor-
nis. for IL makes California. and she fur
sisbes . greedy market for every sort OF
Eastern manufactured product. sending
her money back TO New England and
sArsughouf the East and thereby stimu-
htinG manufacturing. Busy factories
- veu paid. steadily employed factory
hsDas mean good Eastern markets for
ussaBru farm products
Rpecedsas ciseA.
o. friends the farmers of the East
- sDaewhat alarmed a. to what the
suuR nigfh be when the tide ~ west
- cd settling mp the easfefs por-
- q the Nis>issippi VALLEY. bot the