Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-01-20
ASKS LAWS FOR CoNSER-
WALTON OF RESOURCES
concluded from first page)


erahin. 40 that all the water power undei
private ownership shall be n monopoly
IL however, the water power sites nov
nw-nod by the R0vernment--and there ars
enough OF them-shall be disposed Of e
nrfvata persons for the investment OF
ihnIr capital in such way as to preyenl
their union for purposes Oh monopoly
Win other water power sites, and unoei
conditions that shall limit the right OF US;
n net exceeding thirty years with renewa
nriviIeres and some equitable means o.
9xinR terms or rental and with proper
,neana for determining unreasonable graz
mated rental, It would seem entirely pos
aIbie 10 prevent the absorption OF these
most useful lands by power monopoly
A. long as the government retains con-
troll and can prevent their improper union
with other plants competition must o.
maintained and prices kept reasonable
Soils Must Be Conserved.
In considering the conservation OF the
natural resources Of the country, tne !ea.
t,,re that tfanscends all others, Including
voods. waters. minerals, Is the soil OF the
country. II IL incumbent upon the gov
eTnmer,t to foster by all available means
tha resources Of the country that produces
the food Of the people. To this end the
CONGREGATION Of the soils OF the country
sho,,Id Be cared for with all means at the
governments disposal Their productive
savers should have the attention of our
scientists that we may conserve the new
aoIia, improve the old soils, drain wei
soils. ditch swamp soils, levee river over
fiow soils, grow trees on thin soils, pas
tnre hillside soils, rotate crops on all
aoIle. discover methods for cropping dry
land soils, find grasses and legumes for
all soils, feed grains and mill feeds on
the farms where they originate. that the
soils from which they come may De en-
riched.
A work OF the utmost Importance to In
form and instruct the public on this chlet
branch OF the conservation OF our re-
sources IL being carried on successfully
in the department Of agriculture; but Il
ought not to escape public attention that
state action In addition to that OF the de-
partment Of agriculture las for instance
ii the drainage OF swamp iands) is les-
sentiai to the best treatment of the soils
IN the manner above indicated. I'll
HomsStsads and Dry Farming.
The act by which. in senl-arid parts Of
ths public domain, the area Of the homqg
utead has hean. enlarged from 100 10 ~
aereS has resulted most btnehcially IN
thA extension of 'Nry farming and ~
the denomination which has been made
Of the possibility, through variation ~
the character and mode Of culture, q
raising substantial crops ! without tho
presence Of such, . supply o. water a.
has been heretofore thought to be neces-
saFy for agriculture, KH4Y E
But there are millions Of acres Of cciA-
pleteIg arid land In the public 6nMein
which. By the establishment OF foaAfvoika
for the storing Of water and the irFl-
aAtion of the lands, may he snade mueA
more fruitful and productive, than thp
bS1t lands in 4 climate whore the Ia9la-
turO comes from the clouds. Conae1B
recognised the Importance Of this method
of artificial distribution Of water on tho
arid lands By the passage OF the reeianla-
ton act. The proceeds Of the pubic
lands creates the fund to build the works
needed 70 store and furnish the neceS-
cary water, and Il was left to the secre-
tary on the interior to determine what
preiectn should be started among those
suggested and to direct the reclamation
service. with the funds at hand and
through the engineers In its employ, to
construct the works. M
No one can visit the far west and the
country Of arid and seml-arid lands With
out being convinced that this 10 one Of
the most important methods OF the con-
servation OF our natural resources that
the government has entered upon. II
would appear that over % projects have
haeh undertaken, and that q few OF
theas are likely IA 10 unsuccessful beY
cause Of lack Of water. or for other rea-
SONS. but generally the work which has
been Aone has theen well done. and many
Important engineering problems have
been met and solved.
i Fundo Inadequate for Service.
One Of the dificultiea which has
arisen 10 that too many projects In
view Of the available funds have been
set on foot The funds available under
the reoIRInatlon statute are inadequate
70 complete these projects within Q
reasonable time. And vet the projects
have been begun; settlers have been
invited to take lip and. In many In
stances. have taken up, the public land
within the projects. relying unon their
completion. The failure 10
complete the projects for their benohk
II. In effect, breach Of faith and
leaves them In a most distressed con-
dition. I urge that the nation ought
to AFFORD the means to lift them out OF
The very desperate condition In which
they now are. 1l
This condition does not indicate any
excessive waste or any corruption on
the part OF the reclamation service. 1t
only indicates an over-zealous desire
to extend the benefit Of reclamation
10 as many acres and as many states
is possible. recommend, therefore,
that authority be given to Issue. not
exceeding S3O,00O,0oO OF bonds from
time to time, ag the secretary OF the
Interior shall find Il necessary the
proceeds TO be applied TO the compile
ton OF the projects already begun and
their proper extension, and tho bonds
running ten years or more TO be taken
IN by the proceeds OF returns to the
reclamation fund. which returns, as
the years so on. will increase rapidly
In amount. sd
There is no doubt at ell that II
these bonds were to be allowed to run
ten years, the proceeds from the public
lands, together with the rentals for
water furnished through the completed
enterprises, would quickly create =
sinking fund large enough to retire
the bonds within the time specified I
hope that while the statute shall pros
vide that these bonds are to be paid
out OF the reclamation fund, II Will be
drawn in such a way as to secure In.
terast at the lowest rate and that the
credit Of the United States will be
pledged for their redemption.
I urge consideration OF the recon-
OF the secretary OF the
interior IN his annual report for
OF the reclamation act,
other relief for settlers on
these proiecta