The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1909-09-02

cease to be available. Lands thai
may be considered under present
methods non-irrigable, in the deyel
opment of mechanical and electrical
capacity for raising water on to high
er levels may be economically irriga-
bic in years to come, so that no one
can today define the limits of the
possibilities as they are not the linn
its Of conceiyability.
Anyone VINO has visited one or
more of the reclamation projects now
in operation, and sees on the one
hand the desert covered with sage
brush and barrenness, and on the
other the water flowing over the fer
tile soil producing heavy crops of
grain, or orchards in fruit. appre-
ciates to the fullest extent the bene-
fits of irrigation.
THE people of the west therefore,
who are familiar with these wonder
full results in irrigation are highly
appreciative of the Importance Of
the reclamation service, but the great
difficulty which that service encoun-
ters is in finishing the projects now
undertaken as against the clamor for
a diversion Of the funds to new fields.
In this respect the service has suffer
ed in not carrying to completion a
less number of projects than is now
engaged in construction.
81 cannot conceive of anything that
will contribute more to the permanent
wealth and prosperity Of the reclama-
ton states and territories than the
continued construction on the broad
est possible scale Of irrigation works
The danger Which the government
is undertaking to overcome is the es-
adjustment of small irrigation pro-
iects in localities whore by such es-
adjustment the larger opportunities
are destroyed, thus preventing enor-
nous areas Of lands from ever ac-
quiring the use of water. It is quite
true that many small projects capa-
lie Of being financed by means Of lin
tied means can be carved out Of the
larger possibilities, but to encourage
them means the loss of the larger
possibilities. For lack of funds the
government is at present often re-
quired to surrender possibilities in
water appropriation which means an
enormous loss in future development T
Of irrigation works, and fear this is
not fully appreciated. 1t is for this
reason that at times private enter
prises are disposed to contend that
The government is obstructing their
interests, which from the larger view
heir interests are obstructing great
sr possibilities for large aeas of irri-
gable land. I may mention here what
las frequently occurred to me as (
source of advantage to the states and
he federal government, and that is
he securing from the various states
If uniform legislation in the matter
# the appropriation of water and it's
beneficial use, and also legislation
ooking to the control and conscrva-
ion of all available water power.
This congress could accomplish no
reater work beyond the stimulation
f interest in the development of ir-
igation than to secure uniform wat
+ regulations in the states and also
inform legislation affecting inter &
tate waters 4
ours is a nation of busy people, a 4
alton of great resources and posi-
ilities and most fayorably SITUATED Il
II trade and commerce. Its wealth r.
greater than that of any single q
ountry, even Of France and Germany &;
)mbined, and this wealth is increas-
Of fol ,4,1 ono ri