The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-08

Republican Constructive Legislation.
Among the numerous achieve
ments to which the Republican party
can Justly point with pride is the en-
| actment of the reclamation law,
passed in 1902 by a Republican Con-
/ gress and signed by a Republican
president. Under the provisions OF
that law reclamation projects nave
lbeen constructed affording water sup
lply sufficient for 100000 acres OF
land. During 1913 the crop produc-
ition on land already supplied with
4 water exceeded in value $15,1Oo,-
| 1000
! This production was from an area
of only 100000 acres then under Gull
], tivation The last annual report OF
THE reclamation service shows that
with relatively small additional e3,
pense, the total acreage supplied
with water can be increased TO 81
900, 900 acres.
/ Considering the immense amount
of work to be done in the construc-
| tion of reclamation projects on a
plan designed to be permanent, 1t is
remarkable what rapid progress has
| been made. The first considerable
amount of irrigation on government
projects was reached in 1906, when
$4,000 acres of arid land were sup
IL
tho latest date for which stattst1cs
fare available, the total of 100000
acres was reached.
!! The reclamation of arid land un-
der government projects Is still IN
its infancy, and has necessarily been
slow because both the government
| officials and the farmers have been
/ compelled to learn by experience
what methods are most SUGGEST "
y
be far more rapid in the future. vast
areas of land that were previously
abandoned to sage brush, jack rab-
bits and coyotes, will, for all time
to come, make pleasant homes for
thrifty American farmers, produce
food for residents of American cities
and add enormously to the total
wealth of the nation.
These irrigation farmers are rals-
ing alfalfa, fruit, grain, vegetables
practically every farm product tnat
can be grown anywhere. The alfal-
ia supplies feed for live stock. Ibe
live stock furnishes raw material Tor
/ the packing houses. The laborers IN
the packing houses are buyers OF al
kinds of food and clothing, and
other necessaries OF life. The SlS..
100000 of products on irrigated land
in 1913, was but the beginning OF y
cnaln OF DuSlnGSS LAdI "a
table employment for thousands of
men and women.
The farmers of the reclamation act
anticipated that development must be
slow, and. therefore, they provided
for settlement by homeseekers under
a plan of payment by installments
covering a ten year period, which
period Congress has since extended
10 twenty years. The purpose of the
act was to provide more farm homes
and extend the area of productive
LANDS. While the act was a depart
ure from accepted ideas as to the
proper scope of government. expert
ence has proven the wisdom of gov
eminent initiative in an undertaking
SO large that private enterprise could
not be expected to invest unless given
concessions that might ultimately be
found against the interests OF home
seekers.
| Although President Wilson has de-
clared that the Republican party has
not had a new idea in thirty years.
the reclamation act stands upon the
statute books alongside the pure food
law, the postal savings bank law and
the parcel post law as mute but
permanent evidence of the construct
live policies of that party.