Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-02-20
IRRIGATION
ON UP-TREND
Why The Boom Of Fifteen Years
Ago Failed % Produce Last.
ing Results
CONDITIONS NOW
Better u understanding ofthesn y
jcct. Inauguration Of New
National Irrigation Policy

WASHINGTON, ID c. Feb 20
Irrigation in the west Is manifcstIy
Oh tho uptrend.
The arst boom In building large IT.
rigaiion works vt The west was at ~
height fifteen years ago. The invest
mens was then very popular and east
ern and foreign money readily rc-
sponded 10 the call Of the promoters
with only a few exceptions every
western state and territory received
the benefits Of this expenditure.
But this development proved disap
pointing on the side o. colonization
II was found that arid land, worthless
without water, was still without prac
teal value after the water had been
provided unless there was q man there
10 I'M the soil. And this man did mt
come in ~suficient numbers.
Al an investment. irrigation lapsed
into unpopularlty and the active am
paign OF reclamation by means Of pri
yate enterprise came 20 mn end. Since
then two things have happened.
Tho tide OF the settlement has
caught up With Irrigation. There -
nov but little virgin soil open to the
homeseekcr except In the valleys ~
the arid region. Furthermore. The
people have become educated as 70 the
merits of Tho irrigated farm. They
understand what Il means % have
their crops insured BY the hitch, They
appreciate inc advantages Of solfauf
nolency and OF near neighbors offered
BY the small, diversified ~irriGatei
farm. so they are moving into all
the places prepared for them By the
enterprise Of other years.
California Is getting many Of them.
But Just how many viii not be known
until another census Is taken The
railroads report that they brought
$4,000 people 10 California during
1903, Of whom only 10000 had return
tickets.
One hopeful report comes from the
newiyrcclaimed desert IN the eastern
EWl &# =
part Of San Diego county. on Jan.
nary Isl. 1901. there was not a single
whita man In the ncighhorhood. On
January LIST. 1902, there was only n
camp with a dozen surveyors. Jan.
uary list. 1903. saw q population 81
about 1000. while January ist. 1904.
fnds about 5000 on the ground. They
arc still coming very rapidly and an
other year Is likely TO disclose m even
larger gain.
Tho beautiful Yakima valley In
eastern Washington Is witnessing a
similar growth. Indeed. this holds
true Of many parts Of thepacihc north
true Of many parts of the pacific north
and its tributaries. including eastern
Oregon and southern Idaho.
Tho Rocky Mountain states are and.
ing a strong demand for their irrigat.
ed lands. Wyoming. Colorado. Utah
and New Mexico are gaining recruits
very rapidly. And. perhaps. more en-
couraging than anything else u the
activity Of settlement In the long.
neglected state Of Nevada. Railroad
and mining development have much
20 do with II, but Nevada Is also the
beneficiary Of the general movement
Of population 10 Irrigated lands.
The lesson 81 all this Is that the in,
auguration " the new national irri.
CATION policy is wclltimed and that
the duty 81 saving the public lands
for actual settlers presses urgently
upon congress. II can no longer be
claimed that the people 10 not crave
homes In the west. They are ciamur'
ing NJ The doors Of this great empire
and every acre that The government
shall reclaim will be promptly taken
by those who arc ready 70 cultivate
the soil In good faith.
"
II w have needed the Spectator in
the past "a a sort or advance agcn,
Of prosperity, VI need him no longer
The land laws under which he has
grown rich should be repealed and a
true homestead law put in place d
them. so that no onc except the actual
settler a get possession Of this pub
lie property.
WILLIAM r. sMYTHE