Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-09-28
IRRIGATION As AN
AID TO CIVILIZATION

George r.. Barstow OF Texas. for
mer president Of the congress, deltv-
cred an address in which he made a
strong appeal for irrigation, not only
an an economic project, but as an ala
TO civilization and a potent factor IN
the worlds progress,
Mr.. Barstow said IN part;
The first essential for a successful
issue OF irrigation IL @ sufficient sup
ply Of good water. One may possess
twenty. fifty. or one hundred thousand
acres Of fine alluNiai land, splendid
climate, nearby markets. etc, n yet,
If lacking a proper supply OF water,
he need not look Tor a successful
issue. I regret a. say that there are
men in different parts 81 u country
who. having gained possession o.
land. have made the innocent to sur
fer. and also brought some disrepute
on q great and most Important ma
tfpnal industry.
We cannot too strongly condemn
operations II TITS Kind. and I trust
that tH4 committee Oh resolutions OF
shss ongrcs VIII present fer our
adoption a resolution on this matter
setting tie subject before the coun-
try IN no uncertain manner II We
arc 10 continue he irrigation hy pri-
xafe ENTERPRISE in the great arid n
semi-arid parts ~ our nation. we must
constantly draw and hold the CONT
dence Of our mouifd interests and IN
yestlng classes We cannot hope Tor
such most desirable results " for one
uaomen We c-ountenance those irriga-
ton operations that are designed 10
fitch the public.
History discovers 20 MS that irri-
cation by private enterprise has at
ways been IN the van. This has been
true In India. Syria, Babylon, Egypt
Java. under the subjects successors
~ Nontezuma. In Chile. Peru, Argen-
tina aud the United states. Before
the English imperial government be-
gan It's great work ia irrigation III
India, the people of India Boy private
enterprise had constructed works oil
various types capable or irflsallhE
twenty-five million acres az land. TINS
acreage has been Increased Ia over
thirty million acres by private enter
prise: and over twenty million acres
hy the imperial government, Such
has been the history OF the govern
mcnts abroad that l ave nance III
igOi-tgO2 the United states of Amer
lea played the browning act on these
lines for its people in the passage OF
the reclamation act. However pre-
vious 10 the enactment al TINS law
private enterprise in America ma re-
claimed many million ot uctcs oi hlna
In irrigation; and todoy the grand
total by private enterprise aggregates
over eleven millions of acres
Il have observed some illusions OF
criticisms Ia the far eastern press
CONCERNING the large amounts on
money going into private irrigati"l
speculation.' II these references nave
to do with illegitimate Irritation en-
torpriscs. and 4 which ] have az
ready made reference, applaud the
same. II. on the other hand. refer
,uce Is had tu the immense invest
ments that have been ana are "ellN
made In sound. commercial and pro.
ductive irrigation enterprise, theu !
condemn that part 81 the press tha'
has used It's power in that way. II y,
"a unrrow and circumscrihed view hNu
discovers great lack OF UNDERSTANDINGS
that. today would place any etumnNiiE
hlock I'm the way of an industry whose
potentfnl force means so much 10
every American citizen.
n have many times advocated INV
great importance of all irrigation com
NAMES installing q system OF utAiu
ava bitches ! am today more III
enrncst on this subject than EVER n'-
,aus. during the past year l hhNv
s.eu sueh "a system. and I understand
Inc first In the United states 70 h'
Installed. az Barstow. ~ the 800
valley OF west Texas, n Us
more than Justify the positions mat !
have advocated