The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-18
CONSERVING WATER BENEFITS

z CONSERVING WATER BENEFITS
The most momentous question for
the average mind today is that OF IT.
rsgation. Those great valley regions
where alluyial soil has been brought
tp return golden harvests are as rich
Q, richer than in the days of yore,
hui the number to be fed and made
Happy because OF plenty demand more
ana more and the se.l.-aid regions
ale now yielding a proportion of their
share OF the returns from the harry
est fields. Even the colder regions
wnere man must endure the rlgors
q the seven months cold have been
brought into existence as great
baeadmaking domain, and even the
farther No III has added TO the store
cl food supply for the Advancement
of the present day commerce.
Water alone can redeem those dis
tricts where the rainfall is insutIi-
c.ent to produce crops; and water
ha4 been artificially supplied TO many
small sections OF the United States
Is pecially in those immediate districts
4. the mountains. Public and pri-
yate capital has been invested and
the returns have pleasantly staggered
Tie most sanguine, Splendid proTl-
sions have been made, whereby that
D iyate capital has been aided by
the credit OF the commonality and
many of the deeper valleys betwlAt
the great mountain ranges have been
transformed from deserts into grea1,
high producing valleys and plateaus
which add nightly 10 the produce OF
our country. In five instances the
Federal government has loaned aid
il financial way aud in no instance
has the fesull been other than bene.
fetal, the government being amply
secured. while he producing agyicu-
tn lists have been aided and protect
I'd because Federal provisions ma1e
il requisite that only certain tiXel
charges be made for the use OF the
water insured by such irrigation
Experience teaches us that the
most intensified farming can be
made though the medium OF irriga
ton. that results where one can be
assured OF sufficient water can not
he oyeresiimated. And where The
humid regions give good returns,
those sections once called desert
can be made more useful and IA
more productive than in more natural
y Favored lands.
Oklahoma has many ac.es that are
ROT now in ae tate OF cultivation
they should he In not a few III
stances this is ale to the very unce.-
tain rainfall ana The consequent, doubt
as 10 harvest returns Yet there is
not an acre OF this land not more
fertile than tie valley OF the historic
Nile. not an ace @, unless where therv
may be rock outcroppings NOT ca
rable Of producing far more than can
ic grown IN many five acres III the
humid district section OF our conu'
ny. To Oklahomans. then. irrigation
is neither a dream nor a thing 20 be
left 10 che future 1t is matter. to
alse the common term Of today. q.
an "izzer It means the bringing
into our immediate producing fold
many thousands OF acres OF land. ST
inany in fact that no one dare say
ias to Tie exact amount. In addition
ntit mtans ttat in MANY places wher,
row production is uncertain that irri
cation would prove so beneficial L
Is almost present necessity.
Socialism in its broadest sens'
means that the Individual, by sinkini
lis identity with the general trib,
f.f lpt ff,1I al. .
stanl struggle and enjoy the fruits o
his own toll Consequently many whl
sec that irrigation may require tn
aid OF the paternal power hollog
back, Socialism without regard 4
TIE great returns. the surety of th'
principal or the guarantee of int
est that follows in the wake OF mod
Afn irrigation plans. Oklahoma ha
water power and water privileges o
iGcacnlable benefit when utilized
The Federal government has power &
aid unde@ the general law: the stat
can aid the MANY By the passage 0
certain laws IN harmony with the gel
tfal Federal statute. In no event ca
the money OF the Fcderal or stat
government be placed other than a
an aid to The individuals entering int
the contract and With the suretsaa a
sesst thhs1ii hhs1i whatsoever has been hitie
10 So invested Has proved, pIofitfbl
and bgen fetar4ed as Refe gobitsl
q fndde. q 'e n'' ' un
We have much water-must of
coming from the & eat Rocky molu
iGins. The Canadian. Arkansas, Gin
arron and other streams flow acrta
cur plaIns-the largest, the Arkansi
not entering the state until east I
the dry belt. Why not conserve ~
waste mater that flows across II
- ssatee Y IS worth while 4 NEAR
an Increase in production the hum
afficelturist can scarcely conceiv
rm II would aluo mean the doublir
G. on agricultural products and
1onseuuent increase IN value Of pro
eftT throughout the entire state Sus