The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-14
ton and utilization of the water power.
Monopoly May Be Prevented.

The development in electrical arpli-
anceS for the conversion of water power
into electricity to be transmitted long
distances has progressed so far that 1t
is no longer problematical but it is a
certain inference that in the future the
power of the water flowing in the
stream to a large extent will take the
place of natural fuels. In the DISPOSE
ton of the domain already granted,
many water power sites have come I'M
der absolute ownership, and may drift
into one ownership, so that all the wa
ter power under private ownership shall
be monopoly. If, however. the water
power sites now owned by the govern
ment-and there are enough of them
shall be disposed of to private persons
for the investment of their capital in
such way as to prevent their union for
purposes of monopoly with other water
power sites, and under conditions that
shall limit the right of use to not ex-
ceeding so years with proper means for
determining q reasonable graduated
rental and with some equitable provis-
ion for fixing terms and renewal 1t
would seem entirely possible to prevent
the absorption of these most useful
lands by a power monopoly. AS long as
the government retains control and can
prevent their improper union with 9TH
er plants, competition must be main
tanned and prices kept reasonable.
The Soil Comes First.
natural resources of the country, the
feature that transcends all others, in
Guiding woods, waters, minerals, is the
soil of the country. 1t is incumbent upon
the government to foster by all available
means the resources in the country
that produce the food of the people. To
this end the conservation of the soils
OF the country should be cared for with
all means at the government disposal.
Their productive power should have the
off Of CnianfICfC n
conserve the new soils. improve the old
Soils drain wet soils. ditch swamp
soils, levee river overflow soils, grow
the trees on thin soils, pasture hillside
soil, rotate crops on all soils, discover
methods for cropping drys.land soils,
find grasses and legumes- for all soils,
feed grain and mill feeds on the farms
where they originate, that the soils from
A work of the utmost i'm portance
to inform and instruct the public on
this chief branch of the conservation
of our resources is being carried on
successfully in the department of ag-
riculture, but it ought not to escape
public attention that state action in
addition to that of the department of
agriculture Gas for instance in the
drainage of swamp lands) is essential
to the best treatment of the soils in
the manner above indicated.
Arid Lands
The act by which in semi-arid parts
of the public domain the area of the
homestead has been enlarged from 100
to $50 acres has resulted most bene
fcially in the extension of "dry farm
ing and the demonstration which has
made possible, through a variation
in the character and mode of Gull
ture, of raising substantial crops with
out the presence of such a supply of
water as has been heretofore thought
to be necessary for agriculture. But
there are millions of acres of com
pletely arid land in the public domain,
which by the establishment of reser-
voirS for the storing of water and the
irrigation of the lands, may be made
much more fruitful and productive
than the best lands in climate where
the moisture comes from the clouds.
Congress recognized the Importance of
this method of artificial distribution
of water on the arid lands by the pas
sage of the reclamation act. The pro-
ceeds of the public lands creates a
fund to build the works needed to
store and furnish the necessary water
and it was left to the secretary of the
interior to determine what projects
should be selected among those sug-
gested and to direct the reclamation
service with the funds at hand and
through the engineers in its employ to
construct the work.
No one can visit the far west and
the country of arid and senai-arid
lands without being convinced that
this is one of the most important
methods of the conservation of our
natural resources that the government
has entered upon. It would appear
that over thirty projects have been
undertaken and that a few of these
are likely to be unsuccessful because
of the lack of water or for other rea-