The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-08-11

for homes; the end to be reached
only when irrigable lands cease to be
available. Lands that may be con-
sidered under present methods nom
irrigable, in the development of me-
chanical and electrical capacity for
raising water onto higher levels may
be economically irrigable in years to
come. so that no one can today define
the limit of possibility. as they are
not the limits of conceivability.
ANY one who 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
hand the water flowing over the fer
tile soil, appreciates to the fullest ex-
tent the benefits 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 diff
ficulty which that service encounters
Is in finishing the projects now I'M
dertaken as against the clamor for a
diversion of the funds to new fields.
In this respect the service has suf-
fered in not carrying to completion
less number Of projects than 1t is
now engaged in constructing.
81 can not conceive of anything
which will contribute more to the
permanent wealth and prosperity Of
the reclamation states and territories
than the continued construction on
the broadest possible scale OF irriga-
ton works.
The danger. which the govern
ment is undertaking to overcome, Is
the establishment of small irrigation
projects in localities where by such
establishment the larger opportuni-
ties are destroyed. thus preventing
enormous areas Of land from ever ac-
curing the use of water. 1t is true
that many small projects capable OF
being financed by men OF limited
means can be carved out OF larger
possibilities. but to encourage them
means the loss of larger possibilities.
For lack Of funds the government is
at present often required to surren-
der possibilities In water appropria-
tions which means an enormous loss
In future development of irrigation
works, and fear this is not fully ap-
preciated. 1t is for this reason that
at times private enterprises are dis
posed to contend that the government
Is obstructing their interests, while
from the larger view their interests
are obstructing greater possibilities
for larger areas Of irrigable lands.
| may mention here what was fire.
quently occurred to me as source Of
advantage both to the states AMI the
federal government, and that Is the
securing from the various states of
uniform legislation in the matter of
the appropriation of water and its
beneficial use, and also legislation
looking to the control and conserva.
ton Of all available water power.
This congress could accomplish
no greater work beyond the st.mula-
ton Of interest In the development of
| irrigation than to secure uniform
| water regulation In the states and
also uniform legislation affecting in
| terstate waters.
| "Ours Is a nation Of busy people, a
| nation Of great resources and posi-
| bilities, and most favorably situated
| for trade and commerce. Its wealth
is greater than that OF any single
country. even of France and Germany
| combined, and this wealth Is increas-
| ing at fabulous rate. Much OF it
has been accumulated by destruction,
by the sacrifice and waste Of natures
gus, anu 1t Is d
stance that the country has been
brought to understand the import
ance of utilizing and saving our nat
| ural wealth and making 1t possible
| for the nation to continue 10 pros
per, and for the generations that are
to come to have some share In the
prosperity especially since no ele
ment Of tn nations wealth is greater
than that contained in the soil. For
| this reason. If for no other, the work
of reclamation of the arid and semi
arid lands of the west Is worthy of
first Importance in the development
of the nations resources Every acre
of irrigable land will be needed IN
the nations economy.
I'm a century we have passed from
| q DureIy agricultural country to an