The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-06-27
POINDEXTER
GIVES POINTS
ON IRRICRTION


stur from the state OF y Washington
and chairman o; the senate commit
| tee on expenditures in tha interior &C.
partment Of the government embraq-
ing the United States reclamation 5sr-
vice, has studied the effect Of irriga-
ton development in the west from a
social, political and economic point of
view, and recently. in an interview at
Washington. he discussed the law of
supply and demand as it relates to
land, emphasizing the importance Of
conserving and developing the resour-
ces yet extant. He asserted that the
national irrigation congress. which
has its nineteenth annual sessions
December to 8, has been the
leading organization in creating pub
lie opinion in behalf Of this work, Cali
ing attention to the fact that many
arid areas which are now practically
worthless can be made to support the
densest rural population through irri-
cation, he said:
with the settlement Of practically
all Of the public lands which will pro
duce crops without irrigation. the ne
cessity appears Of utilizing these vast
arid regions which can be made pro-
ductive by the application Of water.
The striking features of this develop
ment are that by this artificial supply
of the needed moisture for vegetation.
instead Of merely improving the land,
| it transforms it from the most worth
I less to the mast valuable and fruitful
land in the world, and areas which
were incapable of supporting single
family have been made, and can be
made capable OF supporting the dens-
est agricultural population of any part
of the country.
The desire for lands is insatiable:
it is inherent in the great race which
has principally settled and given form
and character to our nation. Homes
upon the land are a social and econ
omic necessity, and by the cruel law
of supply and demand the need for
land has been intensified, and is be-
ing intensified a thousand fold, while
the supply has been correspondingly
exhausted.
There is no more great open west
where everyone might have opportun-
Eity merely by moving to it. The con
stantly increasing flood Of population
is barred Of further westward move
meht by the Pacific OCEAN and Is turn
Ing back upon Itself. Social and politi-
cal as well as economic, problems
more acute thar any we have had to
dispose Of heretofore. will grow out
OF this condition. In solving these
problems no greater help can be rem
dered than in conserving and develop
ing tn eremaining natural resources
Of the land in order to meet as fully
as possible the needs of the coming
millions.
There are yet millions Of acres Of
arid land so situated that water can
be brought to them. and the prosecu-
ton Of this work. with the mainte-
nance and conservation OF the essen
tai clements for iIs success, rank
among the very first IN importance o.
those things with which the future Of
cur nation has TO deal in working out
its expanding destinies.
'If the perpetual power of the
streams n the western mountains can
b epreserved from private monopoly
and if all Of this can be utilized for
the general benefit Of the nation. there
is scarcely a limit to the opportuni-
ties yet to be made by their use and
development.
"The natoinal irrigation congress
has taken the lead in creating a sound
public opinion in behalf Of this great
work. It has rendered great and
iaestimable service to the nation. and
should be encouraged and assisted by
all those who are Interested in the
welfare and greatness of our coun-
t,.,,