The Springfield herald., 1904-09-02

f"r successful homt-mnking is but au-
other name for the upbuilding of the ma
tirii.
The necessary foundation has already
been laid for The Inauguration of the
policy just described. 1t would be nm
Mise to be-in by doing too much. for II
| great deal will doubtless be learned. both
ns Ia what can and what cannot he
safely attempted. by the early efforts.
which must Of necessity be partly eN-
permental in character. AT the very
beginning the government should make
clear. beyond shadow of doubt its in
tcntion to pursue this policy on lines of
the broadest public interest. No res
ervoir or canal should ever be built to
satisfy selfish personal or local inter
ests. but only in accordance with the
advice OF trained experts. after long
investigation has shown the locality
where all the conditions combine to
make the work most needed and fraught
with the greatest usefulness to the COM
munity rs II whole. There should be no
extravagance. and the believers in the
need of irrigation will most benefit their
cause by seeing TO it that it is free from
the least taint of excessive or reckless
expenditure of the public moneys.
Work with Settlers.
Whatever the nation does for the
extension OF irrigation should harmon
izc with and tend to improve the condi-
ton of those now living on irrigated
land. We are not at the starting point
of this development. Over two hundred
millions of private capital has already
been expended in the construction of
irrigation works and many millions
acres of arid land reclaimed. A high
degree of enterprise and ability has been
shown in the work itself. but as much
| cannot be said in reference TO the laws
relating thereto. The security and value
| of the homes created depend largely on
| the stability OF titles to water, but the
| majority OF these rest on the uncertain
| foundation of court decisions rendered
| in ordinary suits at law. With few
| creditable exceptions the arid States
have failed to provide for the certain
| and just divisions of streams in times
of scarcity. Lax and uncertain laws
have made it possible to establish rights
| to water in excess Of actual uses or
necessities. and many streams have al
ready passed into private ownership. or
| n control equivalent to ownership.
Use the Only Right to Water.
"Whoever controls stream practic-
| tive. and the doctrine of private owner
! ship of water apart from land cannot pre-
prevail without causing enduring wrong.
| The recognition of such ownership, which
has been permitted TO grow up in the
arid regions, should give way to more
enlightened and larger recognition of the
rights of the public in the control and
disposal of the public water supplies.
| Laws founded upon conditions obtain
! ing in humid regions, where water is
too abundant to justify boarding it
| have no proper application in dry coun'
| try.
I'm the arid States the only right
| to water which should be recognized is
that of use. In irrigation this right should
attach to the land reclaimed and be in.
separable therefrnm. Granting perpet-
ual water rights to others than users
| without compensation to the public, is
open to all the objections which apply
to giving away perpetual franchises tC
tn" public utilities. \ few of the West
Crn States have already recognized this
| and have incorporated in their constitu
tons tic doctrine of perpetual STATE
owinrship of water.
Intelligent Cooperation Needed.
"Th" benefits which have followed tn,
unaided development in the past justify
the nations aid and cooperation in the
riore difficult and important work yet &