Arizona republican., 1904-03-07
ONLY A BEGINNING
 (Continued from Page One)

interest net only on the part of the government, but also by the friends of the irrigation movement. It is re- garded as a model. The articles of the association and the other docu- ments which have been prepared in
 the carrying out of the project, have
 been copied to be used for the benefit
 of other associations, so highly does
 the government approve of the work
 of the Salt River Valley Water Users association.
 At this point MT Davis saidIt might
 net be improper to speak of a matter concerning which Mir. Fowler would not speak. He said that the govern ment had offered Mir. Fowler the po- sition of representative in the reclama- ton service, his business being to as sist in the organization of water users
 associations. The salary offered, MT. Davis said. was considera bly in excoGs of the salary paid MT. Fowler as the head of the Salt River Valley Water Users association; almost twice as much. He said, though, that MT. Fow- Ter had declined the offer on the ground | that his services were required at home. MT. Davis continued that though the hardest, and what appeared | insurmcuntable difficulties. had been overcome there was much to be done l vet and that much of the work before | the association would require the ex-
 ercise of great patience.
 Spea king further of the Tonto Basin reservoir MT. Fowler said it was only
 the beginning of the future of the val ley. The time would come when every drop of water, not only in the Salt and
 water. not only in the Salt and the | Verde, but in the Agua Fria and New | River. would be saved and turned up- | on the arid lands of the valley; also every drop of the underground flow and every drop capable of development
 would be saved for the land That was
 not all; there would be improved
 methods in the distribution of water | improved methods of farming, so that | the duty of water would be increa sed
 two fold. It was now supposed that | four or five acre feet were required | No doubt in time. within twenty or twenty-five years. two acre feet would | be found to be abundant Said he. "A
 contemplation of inc future of the val ley is as fascinating as an Ara bian | Nights Tale.'
 Concerning the plans of the govern
 ment in respect of the Salt River Val | icy. MT. Davis said they looked far | beyond the present; the ultimate end | of the government was to procure for every irrigable acre of land every
 drop of water that could be procured l The national irrigation law. he said provided that. It needed no amend ment If it was let alone and its pro- visions carried out. every acre Of arid 1 land in the United States susceDtibl.
 of irrigation would be given the bene-
 fit of every drop of water capable ot | development.
 This reminded MT. Fowler of a con-
 versation he had had with the chair man of the house committee on irriga 1 tion, who told him that the law wa. | one of the established laws of the | country if it were proved to be success full and it had been put into the hand.
 of the people of the Salt River Valley to be tested. It was therefore of tho highest importance, not only to them
 but to all the people of the arid region that they should succeed. A failurt
 would be a death blow to the reclama tion law
 In illustration of the interest the government is taking i- the test nov
 being applied, Mir. Fowler and Judg,
 Kibbey have been asked by the de
 partment to prepare a complete histor!
 of the irrigation movement in thi | valley.