El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-13

under the United States reclamation
projects was less than 3 percent or the
total. In other words, more than 81
percent is controlled by individuals as
sociatiOns. communities and corpora
lions acting under the irrigation laws
Of western states These laws ana the
customs on which they are founded
are still. for the most part, in for
native stage. At every session OF state
legislature, some new ideas are crys-
talized into law and statutory enact
ments which were thought almost per
feet Is or 20 years ago are modified
to meet tire requirements Of changing
In many states of the west, progress
in irrigation is being retarded and
costly Investments rendered insecure
by the lack of proper legislation on the
part of state legislatures some OF
these urgently needed laws are clearer
definitions in regard to the flow OF
water in streams and its use IN lrriga-
ton. Colorado, at the close OF 40 years
of wonderful achievements In the
reclamation Of her arid lands, is going
back. once more to the irrigation primer
in an effort TO find out the meaning
of direct irrigation 1t may cost the
farmers of this state Sl,oO0.OOO to IlnQ
out whether winter irrigation should
be defined as direct irrigation or mere
" the storage of water in the soil
Priority Claims.
Again, if priOrities are to hold on
the waters of streams lying wholly
within the state lines, they should also
hold on interstate streams. A law so
general as that Of priOrities should not
become imperative by crossing an i'm
aginary line which separates two pO-
htical divisions.
western states. through their re-
Spective legislatures must also get
behind the irrigation bond. If ii is not
feasible to guarantee the irrigation
district and Carey land act project
bond il should be safeguarded by state
officers in every possible way railing
this, such bonds are likely to be dis
credited and thereby tarnish the good
name Of western states.
The need of better and wiser irri-
cation laws is not more urgent than
that of better and more efficient adj
miniStra tive systems The Stae 1rr1-
cation engineer. If not the nominal
head. is usually the active head of such
systems. Only when this office is
kept out of politics and the incumbent
given long term and fair salary,
good work may be expected, providing
the law under which he is operating
is satisfactory.
. Importance of Irrigation.
Those who have watched the rise
throughout the Rocky mountain and
Pacific coast regions. must have OBJ
served how large a part irrigated prod
ucts now bear to the total revenue. In
like mining. which has unearthed
countless millions by the toll of the
many. but has allowed nearly all OF
this vast wealth TO pass into the hands
Of the few leaving the original tOiler
stranded and helpless, irrigation builds
mp enduring commonwealth by estab-
fishing homes on the land and by fos-
tering high order of citizenship. good
institutions and stable government.
Irrigated agriculture lies at the foun-
dalton Of much Of the material pros
perity Of the west If il were possible
to remove from the arid region. the
compare lively small area which has
h.
means of irrigation, it would go far
to undo the labor Of half a century
in building up the western half Of the
union.
PouIatiOn of the West.
The census Of 1910 gives the pOpula-
ton Of the II states and territories
lying west Of the Missouri river at
nearly 1890 900. This is an increase
time the rate Of increase throughout
the remaining 81 states was only II
percent. So rapid an increase in west
ern population should not be attributed
solely TO the irrigation Of desert lands
OF late the dry farming districts have
attracted thousands Of settlers, more
manufactures have been esta blished,
more railway lines built and ever-in-
creasing numbers are seeking homes
in towns and cities.
Money In Irrigation Works
The progress Of irrigation develop
ment may be measured by the amount
The census figures for 1910 place this
amount at nearly $305, 600, 900. Divid-
ing this sum by the total acreage irri-
gated, gives so as the average price
per acre Of irrigation work such as res
ervOirs and main canals. This, how
ever does not include the expense in
CURED by the farmer in installing head
bitches and laterals and preparing his
land for irrigation These expenditures
would easily average another $50 per
acre raising the total to something
over $40 per acre and giving US a
grand total of approximately $500, 00O.-
600 of capital invested.
Large as this sum may appear it is
yet small when compared with the
wealth by the water which such works
have provided If one reckOns the cost
of irrigation works in millions, he
should use billions as q unit TO reckon
the value created by the water which
they furnish
Agencies in Irrigation.
1t is of interest to note through what
agencies this vast wealth has been Gre
ated. Several district forces have con-
tributed to this result In the first
place we have the individual irrigator
who has either built a ditch himself
or called in one or two neighbors to
help him. Out of a total of nearly IL
600, 900 acres of irrigated land in this
country. we must credit this class with
49, percent. lover 100000 acres).
Next come cooperative companies