Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-06-28
IS -
A GREAT: FACTOR
IN. development
Senator PolRdextef Of Wash.
.inqton Discusses Results
Bas Studied Efteetof lFliga-
y tioa Developn Vest
10y Assoe,assa Prsss,

a.. .iS114SAOSS OOAx0 O0-SAAsS0 = ~s>~~~~
ter, United States senator from the
state of Washington md chairman Of
A11e senate committee on expenditure
hi the interior department, this depart
nent Of the governmsQt embsae1he
4e United States reclamation service
lis studieA 30 effect Of irrigation de
Hlopment in the West from social
pllitical and economic point Of view
aud recently, in IN interview ct Wash
ington, he discussed The law Of sup
ply and demand, As it rohtee to land
emphasizing the importance of con
serving and developing the resources
yet extant. He asserted that the
National irrigation Congress, which
had its nineteenth annual sessions
here December to 8. has been the
leading organization In creating opin'
ton Id behalf of this work. Calling at.
tention to the fact that many arid
areas which are now practically worth
les IS can be made to support the dens'
est rural population through irrigation
he stod:
with the settlement, of practically
all of the public lands which will pro
duce crops without irrigation, the
necessity appears of utilizing those
vast arid regions which can be made
productive by the application Of wat
er. The striking features of this de-
velopment are that by this artificial
supply of the needed moisture fol
vegetation, instead Of merely improv
ing the hand, it transforms it from tie
most worthless to the most valuable
and fruitful land in the world, and
areas which are incapable OF support
ing a single family have been made
and can 'beamsdeycapsb4e OF support
ing the densest agricultural popula
ton of any part of our country.
1.-THE desire for lands is Unsuitable !;
it is inherant 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 dem'nd the need for
land has been intensified, and is be-
ing intensified a thousand fold, while
the supply has been correspondlngly
exhausted.
There is no more q great open west
where everyone might have opportunl'
ty by simply moving to it. The con
stantly increasing flood of population
is barred of further westward move
ment by the Pacific Ocean and Is turn
ing back upon itself. Social and politi
cal, as we'll as economic. problems
more acute than any we have had to
dispose of heretofore. will grow out Of
this condition. In solving these prob
lens no greater help can be rendered
than in conserving and developing the
remaining natural resources of the
land in order to meet as fully as pos
sible the needs of the coming millions
There are yet millions lof artd
lands so situated that water can ID
brought to them, and the prosecution
of this work, with the maintenance
and conservation of the essential ele
ments for its success, rank among the
very first of importance of those
things with which the future of ou1
nation has to deal in working out its
expanding destinies.
If the perpetual power of the
streams in the western mountains can
be preserved from private monopoly
and if all of this can be utilized fol
the general benefit of the nation, there
is scarcely a limit to the opportunities es
vet to be made by their use an devel
opment.
The National Irrigation Congress
has taken the lead in creating sound
public opinion in behalf of this great
work. 1t has rendered a great and in
estimable service to the nation, and
should be encouraged and assisted by
all those who are interested in the
welfare and greatness of our country.