Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-04-26
Will Local Knockers be Allowed
to Defeat Bismarck Project?
The Most Important Proposition Ever Presented
to the People Of Western Part Of State
Full Explanation Of the Provisions Of the Law
and Powers Of Water Users Association

The possible abandonment, for the
time being, of what Is known as the
Bismarck irrigation project, is sub
, ject of more than passing interest to
the thinking person who has the well
fare of the state, county and city truly
at heart. To the casual observer it
seems ncomprehensible that the farm
ers within the district included in the
project should allow such an oppor-
tunity for the betterment Of their. lands
to pass, an opportunity fraught with
certainty of sure crops and appreci-
ated values to their farms; but to
those who have endeavored to further
the governments efforts for our peo-
pie two principle reasons have de-
veloped in explanation Of this remark
able lassitude, viz: lack of familiarity
with the benefits to be derived from
irrigation and the hostility Of certain
persons whose sole interest is to I'M
load lands cheaply acquired by tax
titles and otherwise, who fear irriga-
ton will give the country a black
eye and delay the sales so devoutly
desired.
Enemies Of Irrigation.
The enemies Of irrigation in this
section have been so Industrious in
disseminating erroneous ideas as to
the reasons for this irrigation agita-
ton on the part Of some of our citi-
zens, alleging self interest or graft as
the incentive, that it is fitting at this
time to briefly outline the history of
irrigation SO far as it pertains to
North Dakota. >*.5
E W. Object of Law.
The national reclamation act was
passed for the purpose of fitting the
arid lands Of the nation for agriculture
and making certain annually the crops
on semi-arid lands wherever they
might be. The act has been SO
hedged about with safeguards that
1t is deemed impossible for land grab
bers to get control of large tracts
within irrigated districts, the intent
Of the law being to promote settle
ment where neither homes nor crops
could exist without irrigation, and 20
guarantee crops where irregular rain
fall makes them doubtful In this
work the government has but followed
in the footsteps of private corpora
tons which frequently 60 outside
their seeming province in vast ex-
penditures for the upbuilding of the
country in the knowledge that set
Element and development will eventu-
ally promote their own prosperity. In
a nutshell this is the motive behind
the reclamation act. >.
4 Funds safesuarded.
The funds for this work are derived
from the sale OF public land. This
money d not wasted nor given away.
y It Is practically loaned 70 the people
without interest In the way Of irri-
CATION works, which the water users
are expected to repay to the govern
ment during the course Of series Of
Years. Those who expect something
for nothing" will be. disappointed (;
right thinking people neither expect
nor ask II. 81 1 ia3 IA # MI
Rainfall Not Always seasonable.
While western North Dakota has
abundance Of rain during the year, it
cannot be denied there have been sea
sons and probably always will be-
when the moisture needful to crops
failed at the critical time. and while
this section should not. perhaps. prop
eriy be included in the semfiarid
region, Il cannot be denied that any
thing that viii assure not only regu-
lar crop but . greatly increased one,
should be hailed as : public benefac-
tion.
Government Har 'iss All Moneys.
Inasmuch g North Dakota furnishes