Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1904-09-29

United States through the national irri-
cation act passed by Republican Con-
gress, and signed by President Roosevelt
June T. 1902. The Democrats are now
claiming that they "did it," Still, the
facts remain that President Roosevelt
by the force of his own identity, put the
measure through Congress and made it
the law of the land with his official sig
nature as President.
1t is not a dream, but a fact, that the
present population of the United States
can be duplicated on the arid public do
main in the West This can be done
without making new competitors for
those already engaged in agricultural
pursuits in the East and in the South.
On the other hand, this wonderful act
of planting n new nation in what is now
all but an unbroken desert will confer
enormous benefits on those sections
which are already covered with farms,
factories and towns.
Big Internal Problems.
In our great West, a population OF
100OOO,O00 might live in prosperous CON
tentment There is everything to inspire
and reward their industry-the charm of
climate and of scenery, the fertility of
soil, the unima ENABLE wealth of water,
forest and mine, and, across the Pacific,
new worlds to conquer. Our biggest in
ternal question to-day is the preparation
and colonization of this productive area.
This nation must keep on with its his
toric work of civilization. 1t must con-
tinue that marvellous reciprocal process
by which it has so rapidly risen to i'm
measurable heights of economic power
the making of new communities to feed
the old, the enlargement of old communi-
ties to feed the new. The longest step
yet taken to this end is adoption of the
plan of national rigaton-chictiy
through the instrumentality Of President
Roosevelt. 1t is a new policy, only at
present in its experimental stage, but
those who know most about il believe it
is a measure big with national fate.
Momentous New FRA.
We are entering upon a new and mo-
mentous era that calls for the highest
qualities of constructive craftsmanship
The movement must be broadly founded
and firmly and intelligently managed. We
are planning, not for ourselves but for
future generations, for we are tac fore
fathers of a mighty future i'll mighty
land. If we are equal to our duty and
our opportunities, we shall make homes
for a hundred million of the freest men
who ever walked the earth.
We are living in an age of mighty
achievement Engineering works which
the last generation would have thought
an impossibility will be the completed
task of this generation The New York
subway, the great tunnel of the Penn
sylvania railroad, the Isthmian canal and
the Salt River reservoir in Arizona and
other mammoth irrigation projects Will
soon stand as completed monuments TO
the constructive genius of our people ana
this age. The future is potent with still
grander undertakings which will, in a
few brief years. also stand as accom-
plished facts. Egypt was for centuries
the granary of the world That land of
mystery and romance was the cradle of
our civilization. For countless ages the
Nile has risen annually, to fertiiize the
land which has yielded, from year to
year. the sustenancc of teeming millions
Greatest Question of the Age.
The question Of irrigation which ROW
confronts the people of the United States
is one of the most important of the age
1t is of more Importance than the 18th
milan canal or n deep waterway TO the
sea. 1t involves the solution of the for
future internal development Of the Unit
ed States. 1t will require years of wor!;
to perfect the system of national irriga-
ton, but it will be the greatest benefit
ever conferred on the western people.
Men may be cruel and unfair, but ma
ture is generous and utterly impartial
The earth, the sun and the waters are
rs kind to the poor as to the rich. The
roses do not stop to look up a mans
financial standing before Consenting tC
bloom for him. They grow wherevel
planted. They cover the poor mans cot
tage as gladly as they do the rich man
villa.
Husbaudry Makes Patriots.
Nations may spring into being, gener
ated by the force of ideas alone, hui
the vigorous manhood, the mature growt'
of a State can only be nurtured an
built up upon the abundant and man!
fold productions of the earth. The vC"I
existence and advance of civilization a.,
firmly grounded on material resources
Nations become great and independc4
as they develop a genius for grasping tn
forces and materials of nature with.
their reach and converting them into ,
steady flowing stream of wealth and com
fort.
To hold a people in industrious. pr ,
ductive, contented habits. habits of vir
tue and of patriotism, it is neeisul t,
give them an interest in the cultivation
of land. This fact is seen along tn
shores of historic time. Wherever gov
eminent has made laws which have Civ
ell the people OF the land its occupancJ
Oh fair terms then content and plentl
have been on every hand. Wherever i
81, IL. a.
the use of the land, then discomfort an.
difficulties have been rampant on ever!
hand, and frequently national ruin ha
been the result. The noblest use to whicI
any man or people can put history is t
take it either rs warning or wise in
structon. In the United States we hav
In quality nnnntity and Nnrinlv smrh SUI,