The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-10-09
IRRIGATION PRO-
JEcTS ARE HELD IN ABEY-
ANCE FOR TIME BEING.
Arid Lands In Washington Are HELD
In Large Tracts BY Private
Parties.

Gently returned from the west, said
TODAY that the chief obstacle to rapid
progress in the semi-arid portion
of the country arises out of the es-
sential requirement of the reclama-
ton act that water shall not be sup
piled by the government to more than
160 acres in the hands of any one
land owner, is the report that comes
from the national capital.
practically al lof the land which
may be reclaimed by government
works in North Dakota, Oklahoma
and Washington is now in private
ownership" said the official 1.-THE
opportunities of reclamation are limit
ed. Probably not to exceed l per cent
of the area of these states can ever
be irrigated to advantage. This 1 per
cent being now in the hands of indi-
viduals or corporations, it results that
these persons have practically mo-
nopoly of irrigable land. The govern
ment cannot carry out the terms Of
the reclamation act without the con-
sent and active cooperation of these
monopolists.
"They appreciate this position, and,
believing that the government must
spend it's funds on this particular
tracts, they are holding out for the
very best terms obtainable. The values
of these reclaimable lands have in
creased enormously; but not content
with this, the owners are trying to
force the government to most liberal
concessions. On the one hand public
clamor is being stimulated to spend
Immediately the reclamation fund
without waiting for necessary safe
guards, and on the other hand, the
men who own the land are standing
out stiffly for privileges which are not
thought of in the truly arid parts of
the United States.
Arizona and Nevada.
In other words, the people in the
most arid parts of the country, as in
Arizona and Nevada, are more than
content to have their lands reclaimed
by the government under any condi-
ton which may be deemed wise.
Water is vital to them, and they only
ask to be supplied with water, and
leave to the government the terms,
knowing that these will be small in
accordance with law, and equitable,
without profit or interest.
'On the other hand, the people in
the less arid part of the country, who
are now owning the irrigab1e lands do
not, as rule, want these irrigated.
The tradesmen in the towns and local
statesmen are exceedingly eager to see
the government spend it's money and
are Indifferent as to how it is spent.
They are the ones who are urging
immediate construction of irrigable
works.
"The men who own the land to be
irrigated do not display anything like
this eagerness. Many of them state
frankly that they will not irrigate;
that they do not want the water; that
for the last year or two they have
had good crops and do not wish to be
bothered with the necessary change in
form of agriculture. More than this
they prefer to cultivate on a large
scale-several hundred acres-rather
than confine themselves by intensive
farming to forty or eighty acres.
Accustomed to Machinery.
They nave always been accustomed
to the use of machinery and cannot for
moment admit that they will ever be
content to go back to the careful and
thorough irrigation and cultivation of
what seems to them mere kitchen gar
dens.
THE owners of these lands are per-
fectly willing that the government
should put in irrigating plants, build
ne bitches and be in a position to sup
oiy them with water if they should
ever want it; but they absolutely re-
fuse to pay for it, unless in the future
they might wish to use it on a small
area. In other words, they would like
ty; would like to be in a position to
enjoy the benefits of such expenditure,
provided they be not put to any incon
MAI Ola