The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-04
F Fairbanks Address

ment which has already been accom-
plished. The growth of irrigation thus
far Is largely due to individual and
corporate enterprise. 1t has been car
ried on by our people for many years
In q more or less satisfactory way,
but 1t has not been until recently the
subject of national consideration. No
one can appreciate the magnitude and
the possibilities, of the reclamation
service In which the national govern
ment Is engaged and which you are
met to encourage, VINO has not looked
upon what irrigation has already ac-
complished. Go into the valleys of
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho,
Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon.
Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and so
on, and some conception can be gained
of the wondrous possibilities of the
future by what has already been dOne.
Fruits, vegetables, grains and grasses
Of almost every variety are produced
in profusion upon lands which but a
few years ago seemed to the casual
observer absolutely valueless and be-
yond the hope of cultivation. have
observed In many places. to employ
the language of Whittier:
Apple and fruit trees fruited deep,
Fair as the garden of the Lord.
Irrigated lands are made to yield
many fold more than the best unirri-
gated lands and the certainty of good
crops seems to be assured. There Is q
guaranty against the blighting effects
of drought, and the intelligent hus-
bandman is certain of bountiful
yield as the fruit of his industry. The
desert is fast disappearing before the
magic touch of American genius. thrift
and pluck. What a few years ago
seemed to be impossible. is now being
accomplished. 1t has been demon
strated that there is no investment
which has yielded better or surer re-
suits than money spent in the con-
struction of feasible irrigation works.
1t Is estimated that some ten millions
of acres are now irrigated through
individual and corporate effort and
that the value of our agricultural
products has been thereby increased
in the sum of more than hundred
and fifty millions of dollars per an
mum. 1t is also estimated that this
annual increase is In excess of the
total cost of irrigation works through
which 1t is made possible.
When we consider. in addition to
the large monev value of the increased
annual yield through irrigation, the
many incidental benefits resulting
therefrom, the magnitude and import
ance of the subject of national irriga-
ton can be more fully appreciated.
The government has not entered up
on the subject of irrigation hastily
and without the utmost consideration.
The matter has been thoroughly de-
bated and considered in its physical
and economic aspects. When it was
first suggested it was regarded by
those who had given it only superficial
consideration, as impracticable and as
involving tremendous and unneces-
sary drain upon the national treasury.
The fact was that individual and cor
porate enterprises had carried the
work forward as far as it could rea-
sonably do SO. The larger and more
difficult propositions awaited the &C
ton of the national government.
The existing irrigation law was put
upon the statute books in 1902. The
law is founded upon an entirely ra-
tional and defensible theory. 1t is
entirely just and equitable. None bet
ter has been enacted by the congress
Of the United States in recent years.