The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1904-09-16

for successful home-ma king is but an
other name for the upbuilding of the ma
ton
"The necessary foundation has already
been laid for the Inauguration Of the
policy just described Ii would be IN
wise to begin by doing too much. for a
great deal will doubtless be learned. both
as to what can and what cannot be
safely attempted. by the early efforts,
which must of necessity be partly ex-
perimentD in character. At the very
beginning the government should make
clear. beyond shadow Of doubt its in
tention 10 pursue this policy on lines of
the broadcast public interest No res
eryoir or canal should ever be built to
satisfy selfish personal or local inter-
ssts. but only in accordance with the
advice Of trained experts. after long
Investigation has shown the locality
where all the conditions combine TO
make the work most needed and fraught
with the greatest usefulness 10 the com
munity a whole. There should be no
extravaganza. and the believers in the
need Of irrigation viii most benefit their
cause by seeing to it that II is free from
the least faint Of excessive or reckless
expenditure OF the public moneys.
Work with Settlers.
Whatever the nation does for the
extension of irrigation should harmon
ize with and tend to improve the condi-
ton OF those now living on irrigated
land. We are not at the starting point
of this development. Over two hundred
millions Of private capital has already
been expended in the construction Of
irrigation works and many millions
acres of arid land reclaimed \ high
degree Of enterprise and ability has been
shown in the work itself. bat as much
cannot be said in reference to the laws
relating thereto. The security and value
OF the homes created depend largely on
the stability OF titles to water but the
majority Of these rest on the uncertain
foundation OF court decisions rendered
in ordinary suits at law. With q few
creditable exceptions. the arid States
have failed to provide for the certain
and just divisions Of streams in times
Of scarcity. Lax and uncertain laws
have made i, possible to establish rights
TO water in excess OF actual uses or
necessities. and many streams have al
ready passed into private ownership. or
a control equivalent to ownership.
| Use the Only Right to Water.
"Whoever controls a stream praetic-
| ally controls the land il renders produe-
tive, and the doctrine Of private owner
/ ship of water apart from land cannot pre-
prevail without causing enduring wrong.
| The recognition Of such ownership, which
has been permitted to grow up in the
| arid regions should give way to n mora
enlightened and larger recognition of the
rights Of the public in the control and
disposal Of the public water supplies
Laws founded upon conditions obtain.
| ing in humid regions. where water is
too abundant to justify boarding it
have no proper application in a dry eoun
| try.
I'm the arid States the only right
to water which should be recognized is
that Of use. In irrigation this right should
| attach to the land reclaimed and be in.
separable therefrom. Granting perpet
ual water rights to others than users
without compensation to the public, /,
open TO all the objections which sppl,
to giving away perpetual franchises tc
the public utilities. A few of the West
err States have already recognized thi:
and have incorporated in their constitu
TONS tie doctrine of perpetual Stat;
ownership Of water.
Intelligent Cooperation Needed.
"fhe benefits which have followed tn.
unnlded development In the past justify
the hatien'r aid and cooperation In tn,
more d.fiicult and important work yet u