Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1904-09-02


! equal TO that Of the United States o
present.
The present President. and the mex
President OF the United States-Thes
dore Rooseyelt~-is ahead Of his genera
ton on this, as on many other subject
Of rational Importance His pfescien
vision of the great destiny Of the repub
lie Is pregnant with talismanic achieve
ments for This future garden-spot o
the world Here he secs the old mracl
Of changing water into wine done owe
aud over again. Not only this: III
secs ms result Of applying the Twin,
stream TO the pnrched earth. myriad
forms OF agricultural and horticulture
products which shall meet the necessities
aed satisfy the Injurious tastes of mil.
lions yet unborn. This and more will
the precious waters accomplish as they
80 from their great natural reservoirs,
hirh up the mountains. and from the
artificial. forced impounding prisons.
lower down the mountain sides, on their
| journey Of fructihcation. laughing. to
the sea.
Presidents Message &c Congress.
Indeed the efforts of those interested
In the west may be aid 90 have found
fitting culmins ton in the first message
Of President Roosevelt Ia December,
1901. The portions OF this message
which relate TO irrigation have peculiar
interest In connection with the reclama-
ton law. since the latter Is somewhat
general. and the working out of details
IL left largely TO executive action. In
considering the possible applica ton Of
the law. light may be thrown upon the
future by weighing carefully the opin-
lens OF the Chief Executive. which are
a. follows:
"'rhe forests are natural reservoirs
BY restraining tho streams In food and
replenishing them In drought they make
possible the use Of waters otherwise
wasted They prevent the soil from
washing and 80 protect the storage rsser-
voirs from filing up with silt Forest
conservation il therefore nm essential
condition Of water conservation.
THE forests slone cannot, however,
fully regulate aud conserve the waters
Of tho arid region Great storage works
are necessary 10 equalize the flow Of
streams aud 10 save the flood waters
Their construction has been conclusively
shown TO be an undertaking too vast for
complished by the individual States act
irx alone. Far-reaching Interstate prob
lens are involved. aud the resources Of
single States would often be inadequate
II Is properly nEtional function. at
least Ia come Of it's features. Ii Is as
right for the National Government 10
make the streams aud rivers Of the arid
region useful by engineering works for
water storage MS 10 make useful the riv-
ers ard harbors Of the humid region by
engineering works Of another kind. The
storing of the floods In reservoirs al the
headwaters Of our rivers Is but an en-
larremenf Of our present policy of river
control. under which levees are built on
the lower reaches Of the same streams
Duty Of Our Government.
The Government should construct
and maintain these reservoirs as IL does
other public works. Who're their pur-
pose is 20 regulate the dow of streams
the water should be turned freely nto
the channels In the dry season 10 take
the same course under the same laws as
the natural flow.
The reclamation Of the unsettled arid
public lands presents a different prob
the now OF streams The object of the
Government Is to dispose Of the land to
settlers who viii build homes upon IL
To accomplish this object water must
be brought within their reach.
The pioneer SETTLERS GA the arid pub
he domain chose their homes along
streams from which they could them
selses divert the water 10 reclaim their
holdings Such opportunities are prae
ticaly gone. There remain. however.
vast areas OF public hand which can
be made available for homestead settle
ment. bat ouly by reservoirs and main
lige canals lmpracticablr for private en-
terprise- These irrigation works should
be built by the National Government.
The lands reclaimed by them should be
reserved by the Government for actual
settlers. and the cost Of construction
should. 80 far as possible. be repaid by
the laud reclaimed. The distribution Of
the water. the division Of the streams
among irrigators. should be left to the
settlers themselves. In conformity with
State laws and without interferencs
with those laws or with vested rights.
The policy Of the National Governmest
should be 10 aid irrigation In the sew
erai States and Territories In such man
ner as will enable the people In the To-
cal communities to help themselves and
as will stimulate needed reforms In the
State laws and regulations governing ir-
rigstion.
viii Enrich Whole Nation.
The reclamation and settlement Of
the arid lands will enrich every portion
Of our country, Just as the settlement
Of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys
brought prosperity to the Atlantic
States, The increased demand for
manufactured articles will stimuluts in
dustr1al production. while wider home
markets and the trade Of Asin will con-
sumo the larger food supplies and Of
fsctually prevent Western competition
with Eastern agriculture. Indeed, the
products Of irrigation Will be consumed
chiefly Ia upbuilding local esntsrs Of
mining aud other industries, which would
otherwise not come into sxistsncs Al
all Our DeCUla - 4 WuOia will 0roHf