Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-28

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greater part Of the principal. The
water supply Was abuncanI b sys-
TEN Has substantially built. but fall
ure resulted in o being able 20 get
enough settlers u cultivate the land
and use the water. Ten years after
beginning construction only 1900
acres were irrigated. and Of the tGfai
oue-haif belonged TO the canal COM
pauy. The maintenance and opera
ton expenses Of 50 large a system
could net be reduced beyond a certain
limit. and this limit was always FAR
ln excess Of the revenue derived from
water rentals
The record Of this enterprise f. sim
lar 10 scores Of Others that might be
given. Probably 81 per cent OF the
capital invested la canal enterprises
from 1855 10 1895. produced no dtV-
bends and much Of IL vas entirely
lost Many use contributed 10 this
end. but the three which stand out
prominently were the heavy annua
Xpenses in maintaining and operat-
Ing new systems. the long delay in Sc
curing settlers and the inability ln
the part Of many Of those who dil
come 10 eEpenG considerable money
and from one 90 tWO years Of ul-
profitable labor In putting des vt
land in "a condition lit To- cultivate r.
i%rriRate While J have no desire 20
dampen the srdor u this large audi
euce. yet IL is a fact that the same
causes which wrecked so many irri-
Cation enterprises fifteen years ago
are operating today. and unless meas
ures be taken 20 overcome their ef-
fecis. promising enterprises viii result
in failures
Western enthusiasts tell us The irri-
CATION problem Is solved. and 20 con-
s|-- #nH- .HLma HN-aa L.H-H aAfHL muHAA
10 the construction work that has
been done during the past ny years.
We are told that over seVcnty-flvc
million dollars have been expended
in b. time under federal state. dis
trict and private enterprises in pro-
vidlng water supplies. We All rejoice
in the accomplishment ~ 50 great a
task. but "a greater task is Still TO be
done. The irrigation problem is Only
half solved statesmen and capital
lists alike have failed 10 realize that
no irrigation enterprises can be sue
ccsSful without farmers and that IL is
the labor ~ farmers which deter
mines the value Of such properties.
Corporations and districts may Organ-
lie for the purpose Of utilizing the
streams. contractors under the Carey
act may provide water for thousands
Of acres Of sage brush land and goy
eminent engineers may erect the fin
est Of structures for the storage and
diversion Of irrigation water. but all
these will prove expensive uXurtes
without the cooperation Of the strong
arm. sound judgment and t~ireless en-
ergy Of the agricultural classes.
This brings as face TO face with the
weak feature Of every plan yet adopt
ed by The American nation for the
reclamation OF IT'S arid lands. II also
forces upon our attention the great
task yet to be accomplished Of re-
claiming. and planting 1--we million
acres of worthless desert. Before
any haryests can be obtained on this
new land IL viii cOs, on an average
over $50 per acre. This represents
500. 600. 900. Now. neither the Carey
act nor the reclamation act provides
for any competent supervision in the
expenditure Of this sum. The prepa-
ration Of the soil. the construction %
bitches. tho selection and planting OF
crops. proper cultivation end irriga-
ton are 10 be handed over fo ineNpe-
rieuced settlers.
Again. the settler is forced 10 do
this work and expend his small saw
ings al a time when he can least ar
ford f. His farm Is still a desert.
The best crops require from n 10
five years before yielding my prof
it's First year alfalfa never made any
man rich. small fruits bear the sec
ond year. grapes % trees the third
year. The heaviest expense comes at
"a time when there Is little or no in
come. DO YOU wonder then that the
weak link In our much boasted
schemes Of irrigation snaps under the
strain. leaving a farm tenantiess, a
home abandoned
Perhaps / ear convey "a clearer Idea
Of the assistance which might be
given 10 new and old settlers alike by
a brief reference 70 work recently
lone in California. Four years ago
the california legislature provided for
the joint Investigation with several
branches of the federal government
nf the water and timber OF
the state a part OF the Investigations
was tu consist OF some Of the diff
culties with which farmers In irri-
gated districts have 90 contend. and
NyaH nNaf4T ia ahnrus ~ fhr VTmfrgH