The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-08-11
JUDGE BA[[|NGER
ON RECLAMATION
WAS THE CENTER OF INTEREST
AT IRRIGATION CONGRESS
MEETING IN SPOKANE TO-DAY
RECLAIM ARID LANDS.

ger, secretary OI the Interior, WAS III
principal speaker at the Irrigation
congress this afternoon. He spok,
on the attitude of the administration
toward the reclamation of arid land!
in the west. ana said in part:
While the government has invest
ed over fifty million dollars In irri
cation works, many times that
amount has beer invested since the
passage OF the reclamation act by
private enterprise and it is safe tc
say that a large portion of these priv
ate investments have resulted from
governmental example and encour-
agement; and let me say here that it
has not been and is not the policy of
the national government in the adj
ministration of this act to hinder or
interfere with the investment of pri-
vate capital in the construction of ir-
rigation 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 a believer in the government
entering into competition with legiti
mate private enterprises. Its func
lions under the reclamation act are
not of this character. and I am sure
that when private enterprise has
done what it can there will still be
thousands upon thousands Of acres of
public lands reclaimable only by gov
eminent aid. The western states
should therefore be very jealous of
the perpetutity of the reclamation
fund and Of its constant increase.
The purpose Of the reclamation act
is to undertake the irrigation Of arid
and semi-arid lands where a consid-
cradle 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 a given terri
tory at the least cost to the entryman
and land owners for construction,
maintenance and operation. always
keeping in view the matter of settle
me1t of these lands. and rendering
them capable of supporting the great
est number of families. The law is a
beneficient one; 1t is another evil
dence of the broad and liberal policy
that has ever actuated our national
government in the disposition of Its
public lands. 1t differs, however,
from the simple homestead law in
that 1t holds out inducements only to
men OF sufficient industry and capac-
ity to carry the added burdens OF con-
struction. maintenance and operation
which Is the cost of the lands. While
it Is possible that persons Of limited
means may successfully enter and
acquire irrigated lands, It will gener-
ally be found that 1t Is not a poor
mans proposition, unless coupled
with industry In agriculture
''The whole scheme OF the act is
based upon appropriation of the pro-
ceeds or sales OF public lands in GER
tain states and territories for the
construction OF irrigation works for
the reclamation OF arid and sem; ard
lands therein. No further appropria-
ton by the government Is Intended,
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
acting In the nature of a trustee for
this fund; that is must construct the
works for the settlers and turn them
over at cost, and has no right to reck-
lessiy 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 mainten-
ance and operation.
at is also the declared purpose .:
this law that the secretary of the in
terror shall proceed In conformity
with the laws of the states and terri
tories wherein the irrigation works
are situated and is bound by these
laws In respect to the appropriat ton
ana use of the waters therein.
"The government, as I have said
has invested 50,000,0o0 of dollars in
reclamation works, and by such in
vestment has succeeded In irrigatins
over a million acres OF arid lands;
and it may be likewise stated with
fairness that more than $4,000, 00C
have been added to the value of these
lands. With the additions which are
contemplated in the completion of In.