The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1908-05-27
REPUBLICANISM AND ROOSEVELT.

1t is general understanding
throughout the western half OF our
fair land that President Theodore
Roosevelt Is a friend of the west The
east also knows this fact and for
time rather used this knowledge to
his detriment. He had been In the
White House but short time when
he began looking over the situation
out here with desire to know what
could be done that would build up
and make the west what he desired 1t
to be. He knew it took water to
make homes, farms and orchards He
could see that without water the
desert would remain q desert and, II
the great valleys OF the Rockies were
to become the homes Of crowded
population, other means than those
adopted by the Utah pioneers for the
making OF canals would Of necessity
have to be adopted, IL would no
doubt surprise many OF our readers to
learn that 700, 1000, 900 acres Of the land
In our country, about two fifth Of the
United States, is arid land, and the
bulk OF this Is In the west, some OF
which will, Of course, never become
productive. Previous to the year 1902,
approximately 100000 acres OF this
great tract had been reclaimed
through the efforts OF the early pho.
neers, goodly part OF which was
right here In Utah. In that same
year President Roosevelt put forth
strenuous effort for the enactment of
such laws as would enable the west to
grow by the aid Of the government,
while at the same time not at the
governments final loss. 1t was pro.
vided that all money from the sale OF
public lands in fourteen states and
two territories should "be set aside as
a fund for the construction and main.
tenance OF irrigation works for the
storage, diversion and development of
waters for the reclamation OF arid and
semi.arid lands"
1t Is well known by those who have
followed the result OF this project that
the west has been the recipient of
millions spent by the government In
retaining vast arid districts. The
great scheme was placed in the hands
OF the United States Reclamation SER
vice, and just as last as land is placed
under irrigation canals settlers are AL
lowed TO come in and purchase tracts
OF land, not less than 10 or more than
100 acres, paying for 1t In ten equal
annual installments, without interest,
the price vary ing with the cost Of
bringing out the water, usually aver
aging about 50. 80 per acre per year.
In order to become the owner of the |
land and water the settler must actu.
ally reside on and work his land, and |
when he becomes the owner (which |
requires ten years. he receives from
the government title to the land and
the water, but the government still
holds It's control over the water and
supervises Its distribution and opera
tion. The money received from these
yearly payments Is again returned to
the construction of additional dams
and canals, and as such there is
never-ending chain of money going in
to the redemption OF the dry west.
Up TO the present 100000 acres
are under irrigation canals, and the
crops last year from that land brought
TO their owners about $40, 900 and
at the end Of this year, when the dams
and canals now under headway are
completed, nearly 5000, 900 acres more
will come in unuer the irrigated pro-