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

It provides substantially that the
money arising from the sale Of public
lands shall be set apart In special
fund. to be used exclusively for irri-
cation purposes. The money SO de-
rived Is to be expended in the estab-
lishment and construction of irriga-
tion works and Is to become q charge
upon the land benefited, and is to be
repaid to the government by the land
owner In not more than ten annual
payments. 1t Is returned to the re-
ciamatiOn fund and Is to be again used
In the Inauguration and development
OF new irrigation projects. In short,
the fund becomes an endless chain
extending its blessings to future
years. Not a dollar comes out of the
pockets of the taxpayers of the coun-
try to promote this great work. 1t is
estimated that the amount to the credit
OF the reclamation service at the close
OF the fiscal year, 1908 will be $41,-
441,572.95.
Irrigation by the national govern
ment has been undertaken so recently
that its beneficient results have not
yet been felt. The secretary of the
Interior has authorized the construc-
tion of many projects in the states of
California, Idaho, Colorado, Kansas,
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Da-
kota, Oregon South Dakota, Washing
ton, Utah, and Wyoming and in the
territories of Arizona. New Mexico and
Oklahoma.
The first allotment for such construc-
ton Is about 81, AL ,57295, and when
I this expenditure is made, it will bring
under irrigation nearly 100000 acres.
1t will be observed that the cost of
the work now authorized is equivalent
to the estimated amount of the recla-
nation fund in 1908. This will not.
however. complete the work. It will
require some sixty millions of dollars.
In addition, to finish the projects now
undertaken, and when they are COM
pleted, the total amount of land irri-
gated will be 100000 acres.
The secretary of the interior has
under consideration additional projects
In Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho,
Montana, New Mexico, Nevada. Okla
homa, Oregon, Utah, Washington and
Wyoming, which will cost about $1O9,-
100000, and which, when completed,
will bring under irrigation $3,O70,O00
acres. 1t will thus be seen that when
the government completes the work
now undertaken and in contemplation,
1T will render arabic nearly 100000
acres, at a cost of little more than
$200.000.O0O.
To prosecute the work which it
has undertaken and which lies before
1t. the government will have in hand,
as heretofore abserved, nearly forty
one and half million dollars in 1908,
an amount sufficient to cover the first
unit of cost of project authorized, and
for thereafter prosecuting the work,
1t will have the proceeds derived from
the future sales of the public domain
and the return from the land thereto
fore irrigated.
1t was the purpose of the authors of
the reclamation act that irrigation I'M
dertaken by the national government
should not be entered upon for the
benefit of mere spectators. 1t was
their purpose that the public domain
and the proceeds arising from the
sale. should be appropriated absolutely
and entirely for the benefit of home
seekers. The law wisely provides that
the limit of area per entry upon the
lands irrigable shall be restricted to
what would be reasonably required
for the support of family. In order
that the entry man may enjoy the
benefit of the law, actual and con-
tinued residence nthe land Is re-
| quired.
1t is obviously the purpose of the
great measure, and it is one of its
most commendable features. to insure
homes, to the greatest number of per-