The river press., 1904-10-12


touched by the sincere persistent, effec-
tive friendship of President Roosevelt.
1t had begun, but only partially, to feel
American stepped up to it and handed
it the golden key which is to unlock its
]mitless, latent wcalth-greater than the
combined mineral deposits Of all the
world.
BY one stroke of his pen he gave the
United States new empire greater in
possibilities, for good to the human race,
than all that other great section situat-
ed between the Atlantic Ocean and the
Mississippi River. The National Irri-
cation Act will transform 125.ON,WW
acres of land from desert to garden. 1t
will create the greatest home market this
country has ever known. 1t will make
happy homes for millions Of free Ameri-
cans. 1t will establish forever the pres
tigc OF our commerce III the Orient. 1T
will cause President Roosevelt's name
and his official acts to be gratefully re-
mcmbercd for all time TO come.
All the People Interested.
All American citizens are essentially
interested in the operations Of the Ma
tional Irrigation Act for the reason that
its influence on domestic trade and for
eign commerce is destined to be simply
dncalculable. The reclamation Of arid
America along the lines of the National
Irrigation Act means "a home for every
man who wants Olle.' 1t means that
when a settler gets ready to obtain his
share Of the National heritage he will
obtain not only fertile soil, but the water
necessary 10 make it Self-suStaining
home and that the water right is guar
antecd 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 is
this proposed irrigation of 12J,OOO. 600
acres Of the peoples domain. an area
that now supports but n meagcr popu-
lation. Under irrigation farms are small
because the yield of the land is very
much greater in proportion to cost and
operating expenses than it is where the
clouds are the first and sole reliance for
a water supply 1t follows that there
will ,bc dense population on our irri
gated area and i: greatly increased mar
ket Tor the manufactured products Of the
rest or the country. The railroads and
all other industries will profit by the
reclamation Of n region, 50 vast in ex-
tent, ann its settlement by prosperous
population.
Wealth beyond Compare.
According to the National census Of
1900 the total improved farm area Of the
United States was ia, 100000 acres. 1t
As conservativcly estimated that the re-
claimable land is not less than 1o5 900,
600 acres Its reclamation, therefore,
will add much more than one fourth to
the actual crop-produriny area of the
country and will exceed by liberal mar
gin. the tillablc land Of all the States
on the Atlantic Coast from Maine "a
Florjda-except modest portion OF New
York. AlSWS:1s twenty atrcs As the
average size Of irrigated farms, this area
will make $3.50. 900 farms or more than
the number in tho United States in 1900
The total value OF all farms III 1900, in
Guiding uIl improvements except build
lss, was Sl3, 1lo,OOO,OW. At $3.50 pei
Ntre, the average value of irrigated land
the 125,WnO00 acres to be reclaimed
will add to the value of the farm lant
$5,312,50O, If buildings are iuclud
ed, the value will be Increased by S..
a5O,0OO,0OO; while the augmented wealth
through railroads, cities. mills and fac
tories is beyond estimation. The an
nua> value of all the farm products il
1900 was $4,379, 100000 The averay,
per acre of products OF irrigated lane
was S1IS1. AT this rate, the area t,
be reclaimed will add products wortl
$1,S51, ,225O,O0O, an addition OF ncarl,
h01f ~ thn Er, - I,
country.
Will Not Compete with East.
National irrigation will amount to ;
series Of loans by the government IN,
the supervision of the construction worl
and water distribution. As to the nurs
ton whether the products OF the irri
gated west will compete with eastern
farm products. it is only necessary t
travel through the West and see wha
it raises under irrigation To nnderS,an
that there will never be any such com
petition. Irrigated farms are small an
too valua bic to grow the staple products
They are devoted to fruit culture or t
alfalfa raising In California, for i,
stance. where irrigation is oldest an
where it's highest types arc found tn
farm unit, instead OF being 100 or 20
acres as in the EaSl. is 40, 20 and
acres. Fine fruits. wines and dairy pr,
duets are raised and cattle are fa,i,ue,
1t is difficult to name Il California far,
product which comes East and ar,uall
competes with Eastern products.
We got from California, oranges, len
ons, prunes,, raisins. figs. olives. wine,
dried fruits. ctc.-!nNuries: on the otht
hand, the Eastern farmers derive "A tli
tinct benefit from irrigation in Califo
MIA. for it makes California. aud she flu
nishes a greedy market for every sort ,
Eastern manufactured product, sendir
her money back to New En=land III
throughout the East and thereby stim
lating manufacturing. Busy facto:i
and well paid. steadily employed factor
hands mean good Eastern markets i
Eastern farm prcuncts.
Precedent Cited.>
Our friends the farmers OF the Ea
were somewhat alarmed as to what Il
result migth be when the tide was Yves
ward and settlin: up the. eastern po
tion of fhe MisS;SS;pni Valley, hut Il