The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-01-15

sons 1ar ihSSstNneh1 III thsfr r3plt31 IN
such wsy as To prevent their union
for purposes ri monopoly with ether
I water power sites. and under rondi-
lions that shall limit tne right Of use
10 not exceeding 80 years. with proper
I means for determining reasonable
graduated rental and with some equit-
/ able provision for fixing terms ara
| rental. II would seem entirely possible
I IN prevent the absorption Of these
most nsafnl lands by a power mornp-
/ nif,. As long as tire government re-
/ tains cnnfroi and ran prevent their
3 imrroper union with other nianta. COM
| petition must hc maintained and prices
kept reasonable.
Conservation Of Soil.
In considering the conservation Of
natural resources of the country the
! feature that transcends all others. In
cluding woods. waters. minerals. is tho
soil. II is incumbent upon the gov
crnment tn foster by all available
means the resnurces Of the country,
that produce the food OF the peop,c
tn fhis end the conservation of the
soils should be cared for with all
| means at the governments disposal.
| Their productive power should have
the attention Of our scientists that
we may conserve the new soils. i'm
nrorc the old soils. drain wet soils.
ditch swamp soils. lcveo river overflow
soils. grow trees on thin soils. pasture
hillside soils. rotate crops an MI Soils.
discover methods for crpprir. dry land
soils. find grasses and ieg,frncs for nIi
/ soils. feed grain ana mill feeds on the
farms whore .thny originate. that tho
soils from which they come may he en-
richea.
a work ri tic ufmos: inheritance to
inform and instruct the public on this
chief branch nj tho conservation Of our
reGourrns Is being carried on Success
fully In the department Of agriculture.
but IL onght not tn escape public at
tcntion that the state action in addi-
tion to that ot the department of ag-
riculnre las for instance. in the drlin-
age Of swamp landsl. is essential tn
tho best treatment of soils i'm the man
ncr above indicated.
Tho act by which, In scmt-arid
rarts nr the public domain, the area Of
the homestead has been enlarged from
100 In 800 acres has resulted most ben
officially in the extension of dry farm-
ing and demonstration which has been
made Of the possibility. through n va
Ration In the character and mode Of
culture of raising substantial crops
without the presence of such n sup
ply nf water as has been horetnr"
thought to no necessary for asrIcu!-
iurc.
Reclamation Work.
Rnt there are millions of acres nf
completely arid lands in the public
domain. which by the establishment
Of reservoirs for the storing Of water
and tho irrigation of the lands may be
made much more fruitful and produc-
tive than the best lands in a climate
whore the moisture comes from the
clouds. Congress recognized the i'm
portancc Of this method of artificial
distribution of water IN the arid lands
nv the passage Of the reclamation act.
Tho proceeds. Of, the public lands Gre
atcs n fund IN huild the works needed
to stnrc and furnish necessary wa
ter and II was left to the secretary OF
the interior to determine what prof.
ccts should be selected among those
suggested and tn direct tho rcciama
tinn service. with. the funds at hand
and through the engineers in its en-
plhy to construct the works. No one
can visit the far west and the country
of arid and semi-arid lands without
being convinced that this is one of the
most important methods Of conserva-
ton Of our natural resources that the
government has entered upon. II
would appear that over 30 projects
have been undertaken ana that a few
of these are likely to be unsuccessful
because OF, the lack Of water or for
other. reasons. hut generally the work
I which has been done has been well
done and many important engineering
problems have been met and solved.
| One difficulty which has arisen Is
| that too many projects. in view of the
available funds. have been set on foot.
THE funds available under the recla-
nation statute are. inadequate 10 COM
j plete these projects within n reason
j able time. And yet the projects have
! been begun: settlers have been in
/ vited to take up and in many instances
have taken up land within the projects.
relying upon their prompt completion.
The failure tn complete the projects
! for their benefit Is. in effect. a breach
of faith and leaves them in most
! distressing condition.
Bond Issue Recommended.
/ urge that the nation ought to at
! ford a means to lift them out of the
| very desperate condition In which they
are now. This condition does not in
dictate any excessive waste. or any
corruption On the part OF the recla-
nation service. II only indicates an
overzealous desire 10 extend the hem
| tit for reclamation tn as many acres
and as many states as possible. l rec
ommend. therefore. that authority be
/ given IN issue not exceeding $4,000. 900
| Of bonds from time 10 time as the
secretary of the interior shall find ii
necessary. the proceeds to be applied
/ To the completion of projects already
begun and their proper extension. and
the bonds running 10 years or more.
| to he taken up ny the proceeds from
the reclamation fund. which returns as
the years ga on. viii Increase rapidly
I in amount.
! There is no Doubt at all that IL these
i bonds were 10 be allowed To run 10
/ years. the proceeds from the public
1 nd No. -isf. ~, r.