The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-09-01
SOME THINGS DONE AT SPOKANE
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large portion OF tneSe private Invest
ments have resulted from govern
mental example and encouragement.
And let me say here that it has not
been and is not the policy of the
government in the administration OF
this act to hinder or interfere with
the investment of private capital in
the construction of irrigation works,
but rather to lend it encouragement.
This is particularly true in reference
to irrigation under the Carey act in
the various states. | am not believ-
er in the government entering into
competition with legitimate private
enterprise. It's functions under the
reclamation act are not of this char
acter, and l am sure that when pri-
vate enterprise has done what it can
there will still be thousands upon
thousands upon thousands of acres of
public lands reclaimable only by gov
eminent aid. The Western States
should therefore be very jealous of
the perpetuity of the reclamation fund
and of it's constant increase.
'The purpose of the reclamation
act is to undertake the irrigation of
arid and semi-arid lands where con-
siderable portion thereof belongs to
the public domain, and by the installa-
ton of the storage and diversion of
available waters to irrigate the larg-
est possible area within given ter
ritory at the least cost to the entry
men and land owners for construction,
maintenance and operation always
keeping in view the matter of the
settlement of these lands and render
ing them capable of supporting the
greatest number of families.
''While it is reclamation act, it is
also settlement act, and the public
lands which are proposed to be irri-
gated by, means of the contemplated
works have been rendered subject to
entry only under the homestead laws
in small tracts capable of supporting
a family. 1t is declared by the act
that only the cost of construction and
maintenance shall be repaid to the
government. No consideration of pro-
fit or direct advantage to the govern
ment is intended and in this the
statute does not intrench upon the
rights of private enterprises, particu-
larly so long as the reclamation of
public land is the main object of the
government. The law is a beneficent
one; it is another evidence of the
broad and liberal policy which has
ever actuated our national govern
ment in the disposition of it's public
lands. 1t differs, however, from the
simple HON estead law in that it holds
out inducements only to men of Suffi-
cent industry and capacity to carry
the added burdens of construction,
maintenance and operation, which is
the cost of the lands.
"The whole scheme of the act is
based upon the appropriation of the
proceeds of the sales of public lands
in certain states and territories for
the construction of irrigation works
for the reclamation of arid and semi
arid lands therein. No further appro-
priatiOn by the government is intend
ed, or can be inferred from the act,
and the responsibility for the disburse-
ment of the funds and the construc-
ton of the works is placed upon the
Secretary of the Interior. 1t must be
recognized that the government is act
ing in the nature of trustee for the
people in the disbursement of this
fund; that it must construct the
works for the settlers and turn them
over at cost, and has no right to reck-
lessly or imprOvidently waste the
fund; that cost means the cost which
is incurred in the exercise of common
business prudence, and this is like
wise true of the expense of mainte-
nance and operation.
''It is also the declared purpose of
this law that the Secretary of the In
terror in carrying out it's provisions
shall proceed in conformity with the
IaMc Of thQ ctatnC and tnrritOriQS