Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-12
BALLINGER IS
SCORED AT MEET
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR Is
ACCUSED OF MALFEASANCE
ROOSEVELT POLICY DEMANDED
BY CALIFORNIAN
a Do Oppose Giving Away Immense
Rights to Private Corporations
Declares Pardee at lrri-
cation Congress
lcontinned from Page onel

reclamation Iunu anu VI ll9 NOii7''i'i'
increase.
."The purpose of the reclamation act
is to undertake the irrigation of arid
and semi-arid lands where consider
able norton thereof belongs to the
public domain. and by the installation
of the storage and diversion of avail
able waters TO irrigate the largest pos
stble area within given territory AT
the least cost to the entrymen ana
land owners for construction, malnten-
anCe and opera tion, always keeping IN
view the matter of the settlement OF
these lands and rendering them capable
Of supporting the greatest number Oh
families. While it is possible that per-
sons of limited means may success
fully enter and acquire irrigated lands,
II will generally be found that IL Is
not poor mans proposition unless
coupled with intelligent industry in
agriculture.
Explains Laws Operation
"The whole scheme of the act is
based upon the appropriation OF INC
proceeds of sales of public lands III
certain states and territories for the
construction of irrigation works for the
reclamation of arid and seml-arld
lands therein. No further approprla
tion by the government is intended, on
can he inferred from the act and the
responsibility for the disbursement OF
the finds and the construction of the
works is placed upon the secretary oi
the interior. 1t must be recognized
that the government is acting IN the
nature of a trustee for the people III
the disbursement OF this fund; that IL
must construct the works for the set
tlrrs and turn them over at cost and
has no right to recklessly or I'M
provdently waste the fund.
..Tt is also the declared purpose oi
This law that the secretary of the in
terror in carrying out its provisions
ebaU proceed in conformity with the
laws of the states and territories where
in the irrigation works are situated
and is bound by these laws in respect
to the appropriation and use OF the
waters therein.
"rrhe government. as I have said,
has Invested 100000 600 in reclamation
works and by such investment has
s,1cceedad in irrigating over 1,OOGOoO
acres of arid lands. and 1t may be
likewise stated with fairness that more
than $50 OOO. 900 have leen added to the
7.alne of these lands. With the addl-
tions which are contemplated IN the
completion of irrigation works now uh-
der construction and those contein
nj
than proportionately continue and the
coneunmatfon of the revolving fund
brought about by the return OF the
cos, of construction of present WORKS
,ril1 enable the government IN the
curse Of years where feasible pro-
ioc+e axist TO increase beyond Calculd-
lion the wealth of the irrigable re-
rfons and the continual EXPANSION or
onnortunities for settlement ana for
homes: the end to be reached only
when irrigable lands cease 10 De avail
able. .,,.. l..
,rosant methods non-irrigable, in the
davelonuent of mechanical and cleo
trical capacity for raising water on &c
.,iober levels NAV be economically lffl-
ca HE i'm wears to come, so that no one
can TODAY define the limits of posi-
bi1ititv. as they are not the limits oi
conceivahilitY.
Small Projects Often Discouraged
"Tba ueople of the west who arc
familiar with these wonderful results
in irrigation are highly appreclatlVe OF
the importance of the reclamation sefN-
ire hut the great difficulty Whcih that
service encounters is in finishing the
projects now undertaken as agalnS'
the clamor for diversion OF the tundS
TO new fields. In tins respect inc
service has suffered in not carrying tC
cop,nIetion less number of projects
than if is now engaged i'm constructing
"Tha danger which the government
is Undertaking to overcome Is the eS-
tablishment Of small Irrigation projects
i'm localities where by such establish
ment the larger opportunities are de-
stroyed. thus preventing enormous
areas Of lands from ever acquiring the
use of water 1t is quite true that
many small projects capable of being
financed by men Of limited means can
he carved out Of larger possibilities
bnt to encourage them means tho loss
If the larger possibilities. For lack ot
funds the government is at present
often required to surrender pOssibili-
ties i'm water appropriations which
means an enormous loss in future de-
volpoment Of irrigation works. and
fear this is not fully appreciated. II
is for this reason that at times private
enterprises are disposed to contend
that the government is obstructina
their interests which from the larger
view their interests are obstructina
greater possibilities for large areas OF
irrigable land.
Uniform State Laws Needed
Il may mention here what has fire.
quently occurred to me as source OF
advantage, both to the states anG
federal government, and that is the
securing from the various states OF
uniform legislation in the matter of the
appropriation of water and its benc'
fetal use, and also legislation looking
to the control and conservation of al
available water power.
This congress could accomplish NJ
greater work than to stimulate inter
oet i'm the development of irrigation
and to secure uniform water regula
tions In the states and legislation af-
fectng interstate waters.
ours is a nation of busy people, g
nation OF great resources and posi-
bilities and most favOrably situated for
trade and commerce It's wealth is
greater than that Of any single Coun.
try. even Of France and Germany com
bned aud this wealth is increasing al
fabulous rate. Much of it has beer
accumulated by the destruction. by
the sacrifice and waste Of nature
gifts. and it is a fortuitous circum.
stance that the country has beer
brought to understand the importance
Of utilizing and saving our natura
wealth and making it possible for the
nation to continue to prosper, and foi
the generations that are to come tc
have some share i'm that prosperity, es-
pecally since no element of the ma
tons wealth is greater than that con
tanned in the soil. For this reason, II
no other, the work of reclamation oi