The Springfield herald., 1904-11-04

cultivate 1t before n 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 n rapidly growing country it Is hard
ly credible that any colluson to obtain
water can hold throughout long period.
especially with danger of forfeiture at
the end of that time.
The main feature of the law is to Sc
cure the development of the arid region
and the utilization of the great resources
which experience has shown cannot be
put to beneficial usage by private en-
tcrprise, and which. il properly utiliz-
ed, may become the greatest source of
strength to the commonwealth through
the creation of homes. 1t matters little
whether the land thus utilized happened
to be, Mt the time of construction, of pub
lie or private 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-support-
ing 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 directly inter
ested.
All Business VIII he BENEFITED.
The transcontinental railroads recog-
nize that they will be first benefciaries
and the perpetual gamers by this home
building movement and they are wisely
contributing largely to the success of
the movement. 1t is true some of them
have land to sell. but the profit from the
sale OF such land is as nothing compared
to the annual traffic resulting from the
establishment of innumerable homes.
The railroads could sell the lands to cat
tlemen. but as matter of business they
know it is much better to even donate
them to settlers who will live on the
farms and make homes of the newly irri-
gated heritage. The manufacturing and
jobbing interests of the East have also
contributed to this work to no small
degree, as they believe that in the West
is the greatest home market for manu-
factured products of all kinds.
1t has sometimes been held up as n
reelection against the advocates of Ma
tional Irrigation that the great railroads
and manufacturers of the East are in
tcrested and have contributed time and
influence to the cause, but in this direc-
ton the interest of the people of the
country and that of the railroads and
industrial organizations are Identical
namely: to bring together the man who
is seeking home, and the opportunities
for making one.
Private Capital Inadequate.
Private enterprise is still active in the
arid region, and there are many locali-
ties where irrigation works are being
built by individuals and corporations.
but the great problem can never be made
commercially successful and vast tracts
of fertile land will be condemned to
sterility unless the government takes
charge Of such projects through the
operations of the new reclamation law
If this law is successfully administered
which it will be under Republican admin
istration, millions of prosperous homes
will be built in localities now waste
and desolate and the republic strengthen
ed by myriads of conservative, prosper
| Gus, hgh-minded citizens.
Rig Projects Under Way.
Among the important projects approx
| ed and now being constructed by the
government, may be mentioned works at
| Sweetwater Dam, Wyoming; Gunnison
Tunnel. Col; Truckee and Carson Rivers,
| New: Milk River and st. Mary's Lake,
| Mont, and Tonic Creek, Ariz Roughly
estimated, these will make possible the
| irrigation of something over one million
| acres of land at cost of seven and n
| half million dollars, or an average of
$3.50 an acre. As matter of fact, much
,, of this area is unsuitable or unfavora Bile
for cultivation. Probably only about GO
per cent. of the total will be found
worthy of n reclaiming; this will increase
the average cost to something like $3.50
! an acre.
Sweetwater Dam is on Sweetwater
| River, at Devils Gate. forty miles west
of Casper and forty miles north of Raw
Inns. Wyo. This project will reclaim
| about 100000 acres. The Gunnison Tun-
mel scheme will reclaim about 100000
| acres and is located near Montrose. in
Central Colorado. In Nevada it is pro-
posed to divert water from Lake Tahoe.
| Cal, and its outlet-the Truckee river