Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-10-31
ROOSEVELT
AND
|RR|GA

f1dNe TIE fOttIb VI lSh ihth Sohhty
stopped to consider the benefits this
southwest section Is going to enjoy
under the government irrigation act?
If not, 1t is time to do SO. Surely
no one Is SO blind to his or her inter
ests to neglect to pay proper tribute
to the direct agency accomplishing
this great benefit to the entire west
ern country. Just look at the millions
OF dollars 1t means to Montrose and
Delta counties. 1t means the open
ing of a vast empire of itself. And
right at our very door Is another vast
project under headway, storage res
ervoirs for the La Plata section with
canals leading from the Animas river
Only the government could think of
fostering such a plan. 1t means the
redemption of thousands of acres of
rich lands now the home of the jack
rabbit. 1t means the expenditure of
several thousand dollars which will
come to Durango entirely. And what
helps Durango and increases the size
of our city helps the entire county.
For all this our people should indeed
be thankful and letting 1t drop there
does not pay the obligation. Unless
our people show their appreciation of
the work Of President Roosevelt in
their behalf 1t will be poor encourage
ment for any president to put him
self out to push the cause of any
section, being an invitation to keep
his hands of. And suppose Roose-
welt had kept his hands of. is there
a single individual who believes the
West would have been able to push
the bill through congress? Not by a
long ways. 1t took the earnest eff
forts of Roosevelt to overcome the
objection of the East TO the PROPOSE
tion and without his Intervention the
irrigation would not have received a
majority in either branch Of congress.
But with Roosevelt and a Republican
congress the measure became law
and La Plata county will soon double
in wealth owing to its beneficial eff
fects. or course the Democratic
party would have the uninitiated be-
lieve that 1t is responsible for all
good things. Where 1t could not be
successfully contradicted within n
given time, II would not hesitate to
claim the credit of the Decalogue, the
Christian era, the discovery Of Amer
lea, the Declaration of Independence,
the administrations OF Washington
and Lincoln. the construction OF the
Panama canal, or. in fact. any old
thing.
The Democratic press now has the
hardihood to openly assert that the
party of negation and calamity is re
sponsible for the Irrigation Act. In
keeping with traditional revelations
of its notorious 'hindsight" 1t has dis
covered that this same National Ir-
rigation Act OF President Roosevelt
is calculated to add new Industrial
empire to the United States. 1t would
fain give this the "me-too" accent.
but 1t is too late. What are the re-
corded facts?
Let History Speak.
The first move on the part of the
Federal Government to reclaim the
arid West began as far back as 1889.
under President Harrison's Republi-
can administration. when bill was
passed by Congress authorizing the
investigation of this subject with
view to ascertain to what extent
the arid region of the United States
can be benefited by irrigation. This
bill appropriated 100000 for topo-
graphical surveys for the fiscal year
ending June 30. 1889. The money
was to be used under the direction
OF Major Powell. the then head of
the geological survey.
The work was placed under the sup
ervision of the Secretary of the Inter
ior. and Major Powell was directed
to make his report as early as poss-
ibIe. Upon his report and the recon-
mendations Of the Secretary of the
Interior. the 100000 was supplement-
ed by an additional appropriation Of
$250,OO0 by the passage of an act for
the further investigation of the arid
regions. A committee of Senators
was appointed to visit the arid re
gions of the different Western states
and territories, during the summer of
1880. 1t completed Its work of in
vestigation and made its report after
having travelled 10000 miles and hav-
ing been on the road fifty days.
Republican Lead the Way.
The Republican National conven-
ton held in Philadelphia in June. 1900
referred to irrigation In the national
platform as follows: I'm further pur-
suance Of the constant policy of the
Republican party to provide free
homes on the public domain we rec
commended adequate National legis-
lation to reclaim the arid lands of the
United States. preserving the control
OF the distribution of water for irri-
cation to the respective states and
territories" The Democrats, of course,
initiating and following the lead of
The Republican party In all matters
Of progress. adopted the following
plank In their platform at Kansas
City in July 1900; I'VE favor an in
telligent system OF improving the
arid land Of the West, storing the
waters for the purpose OF irrigation
and the holding Of such lands for
actual settlers"
Roosevelt Prime Mover.
In his mpssa pe IN tho L,stv,ayo,,h