The state herald., 1904-11-04

cultivate II before clear title TO the
water can be had from the government.
Thus. collusion or evasion OF the purpose
of the law Is to large extent prevented.
In "A rapidly growing country II Is hard
ly credible that any collusiOn TO obtain
water can hold throughout long period.
especially with danger OF forfeiture at
the end OF that time.
The main feature of the law Is to Sc
cure the development OF the arid region
and the utilization Of the great resources
which experience has shown cannot be
put to beneficial usage 10y private en-
tcrprise. and which, II properly utiliz-
ed may become the greatest source OF
strength to the commonwealth through
the creation OF homes. II matters little
whether the land thus utilized happened
to he. at the time OF construction. of pub
lie or private ownership. The main thing
IL to secure ultimately the building Of
homes and the placing of these In the
hands of people who become self-support-
ing and who eau aud will refund To
| the government the cost OF reclamation.
This is an object In which not only the
government. but all classes OF citizens
and most industries are directly inter
ested.
All Business VIII lie BENEFITED.
The transcontinentnl railroads recog-
niz- that they will he first benedciarics
AMI the perpetual gamers by this home
building movement and they are wisely
contributing largely TO the success Of
| the movement. II IN true some OF them
have land to sell. but the profit from the
sale Of such land is as nothing compared
to the annual traffic resulting from the
establishment of innumerable homes.
The railroads could sell the lands to cat
tleinen. hut ns n matter Of business they
| know II Is much better 10 even donate
them TO settlers who will live on the
| farms and make homes Of the newly irri'
gated heritage The manufacturing and
| jobbing interests of the East have also
contributed to this work to no small
degree, as they believe that In the West
j. the greatest home market for manu-
fnctnred products Of all kinds.
II has sometimes been held up as a
reflection against the advocates OF Ma.
tiOnal Irrigation that the great railroads
| aud manufacturers Of the East are in
tcrested aud have contributed time aud
| influence 10 the cause, but In this direc-
tion the interest of the people Of the
country and that NJ the railroad. and
Industrial organizations are Identical
namely; To bring together the man who
il seeking a home, and the opportunities
for making one.
Privat. Capital Inadequate.
Private enterprise i still active In the
arid region, and there are many iocali-
ties where Irrigation works are being
I H..
but the great problem can never be made
commercially successful aud vast tracts
of fertile land will be condemned 10
stcriliiy unless the government takes
charge Of such projects through the
operations ot the new reclamation law.
| II this law is successfully administered,
which Il viii be under Republican admin.
| istrntlon. millions of prosperous homes
will bc built In localities now waste
and dcsolaic and the republic strengthen.
rd by myriads OF conservative. prosper
Gus. hlsh'mndci citizens.
Wig proJ.c,s und-r Way.
Among the Important project. approx.
| ell aud now being constructed by the
| government. may be mentioned works at
Sweetwat.r Dam. Wyoming. Gnnni-Dn
Tunnel, Col; Trurke- and Carson Rivers.
New: Mix River aud ~. Mnry's Lake.
Mont. aud Ton,o Greek, Aris. Roughly
estimated. these will make possible the
irrigation Of something over one million
ncr.s of land at cost OF seven aud q
hnlf million dollars, or m average of
$3.50 nn acre. As q matter OF fact, much
OF this area Il unsuitable or unfayora bile
for cultivation. Probably only about 90
per cent, " the total will he found
worthy of 4 reclalning. this will Increase
the average cost 10 something liz. $3.50
mn acre.
| Sw..,wsi.r Dam il on Swec,wat.t
iti,-r. At Dc,il'. Gate. forty miles w--,
of Casper and forty miles north Of Raw.
iin-. wyo. rhi. project will reclaim
nl,nni 10000 acres, ,h- gunnl.on Tnn.
mel -rh.m. will reclaim about 10000
acr-s aud Il loeai.i near Moniro.e, IN
Central Colorado, In Nevada u I. pro.
posed 10 divert water from Lake Tnhoe,
Cal. and it, outlst-thr Truckec river
..u,tN daa.aHsd basiiiv afnsa Ia lrnyp