Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-08-15
water season and destroy the planta-
ions along the lower Mississippi.

water season and destroy the planta-
tons along the lower Mississippi.
On the contrary, we are accelerating
that rapid run off, as stated in
former paper, by a vast system of
drainage which dries out the land and
carries off the rain water simultane.
ously through the bitches over large
areas, where it formerly disappeared
into the land and created swamps and
meadows, meadows that are now be-
ing drained for few tons of hay,
while increasing the flood waters of
the rivers below.
Drainage Of Lakes and Swamps.
The following is part of the origin
al article referred to above:
There lis great danger that we are
going to far with our plans of drain
age, even for the advantage of Mime
sofa and the Dakotas. The natural
effect of all these swamps and lakes,
check the rapid rise of the river, and,
with farm drainage going on all over
the country to so large an extent by
the farmers themselves, it is grave
question whether the state ought to
take hand upon large scale in
draining lakes and swamps, regardless
Of future consequences. 1t no doubt
is all right for this generation and
time, but is it wise for coming genera.
tions?
GAS a country grows older it needs
more water. 1t is only the pioneer
that drains. Europe today is building
dams and saving the water for iwiga'
ton, in places where years ago irriga
tion was not dreamed of.
ut is a federal question and moi
for states, to wrangle about, as they
are now doing in Kansas and Colo
RADIO about a small amount of water
in the Arkansas river, as to who shall
have the most of it. 1t is for the
federal government to say what shall
and what shall not be done, as it is
serious question for this and genera
tions to come, and will be handled to
no doubt along the lines of the great
est good to the greatest number
Future Agricultural Development.
II firmly believe that in the near
future THE greatest surprise in regard
to agricultural development and inter
est will be in the semi-arid country of
the Missouri river valley. After what
I have seen in the arid countries OF
New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming
and Idaho, am more than ever con-
WINGED that the semi-arid country OF
the Missouri valley will be a wonder.
full producer, and it certainly is for
the interest of all Minnesotans to
work to that end, and so we, the Min
nesota delegation, will work, no doubt
for new land laws in the interest OF
the real homemaker," while some Of
the western delegates are working In
the interest Of the old land laws and
the interest of the large land owners
with few head of cattle and sheep
ignoring the enormous production pei
acre when irrigated, for both man and
beast. I have always been satisfied
that in semi-arid country like the
Missouri valley, if irrigation was I'm
dertaken upon a large scale, as il
should be, that it would also help the
nearby lands that are not irrigated by
tempering the hot winds to the nearb,
wheat fields
Certainly the Twin Cities and Min
nesota are interested in developing
the Missouri valley to its highest stat
of cultivation by irrigation, at thu
same time preventing floods that de
stroy property and drown the inhabit
ants along the lower levels of TIN
| Missouri river"