Jerome County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1919-1920, 1919-04-03

inuul-cu a nlnute OF whimsical rancy
this was California territory over
which his train was passing. hui the
soil. that dark earth those blades were
cruInbling. was it not the tribute of
other states, Of despoilng Wyoming.
Of raNishing Colorado and Arlonat
70 the west new squares were being
leveled and outlined. Shruhhy rec
taugics were being cleared of their Gre
Osnie bush and tough mesquite. Com
pared with other countries the prcpi-
ration for planting was the simplest
Horses We're dragging over the ground
"a railroad rail bent into V angle.
which pulled The bushes by the roots
and dragged them ont Of the way. Be-
yond farther west, could bee seen the
Untouched dessert Tine surface for
many miles was cracked by water
lines, broken and baked into irregular
sand cakes the mark of sand which
has been Imprisoned hy water and
branded by swift heat.
Close by men We're putting In with
care the seed that was to quicken liz
river silt. They Were passing a square
where the green tips of the grain
were piercing the ground. Now they
were abreast Of Il field of INA ured al
falfa over which the wind raced CRATE
fully. Desert and grain field death
ana life. The panorama embraced the
Whole cycle.
They went back to their seats. After
II few minutes the other leaned over
his Shoulder. his Land waving toward
/ the passing mountains. "TAn~. are tine
Superstition momiuins YOU can sc.
over yunder. An unusually apt name"
"Nr~t'
"Mhy is it good. you mean? That
/ pile OF dark rock stands a. mOnI-
ment 10 an effrte superstition II is
the graNertone for 81 gigantic mistal T..
Why. it Was only the gros~est igno-
rance that gave 10 the desert the la 81
OF bad lands The desert is con-
ditipn. not a fact. Here YOU see ~
pa. sing Of the condition. the burial IF
the superstition. Are you Interested IN
irrigation?'
Richard was not given to explain
The degree Of interest his profession
involved. for the stranger drew Il pain.
full breath, and went on.
"Of course you are. if you are a
western man. You are. / Think"
The engineer said he was. 10y choice
"Irrigation is the creed of the West
Gold brought people 10 this country
water, scientifically applied, will ke-l
them here. Look at Riverside. And
We are at the primer stage only. We
are way behind the ancieniS in infor
nation Oh that subject | learned al
school, 50 did you. that some OF the
most glorious civilizations tiuuriShrc
in spite OF the desert which surrOuni
ed them. That was only half truth
They were great because of it, Why
did the lncaS choose the desert VIII Il
their strength gave them the choice OF
the continent of South America? Why
did the Aztec> settle in the desert
when they might easily have pre-
rmpled the watered regions? Their
there are the Carthaginians. the Toll
tees. the MoorS. And one never for
gets Egypt
For projections" Richard gave the
Sighted question an Interested recog
milton. Was that not what We wer,
taught al school? The forest hello
foes. animal and human. Those ia
ions grew TO their strength anC
power in the desert by virtue Of it,
ISOLATION
"SuperSttion !" retorted the nov
with the tie. 1--WE are babes at the
breast measured by the wisdom OF tie
men who settled Damascus. or com.
cared with the Toltecs. or those an
,lent tribes who settled in northern
ndia. They recognized the value Of
/ lrdity. They knew its threefold
WORTH"
An inherent value?' demanded The
, .ollesc-hred man. turning from III,
window.
"An Inherent value" declared tn,
Nrou,nt of aridity.
"Wil You tell me just what yol
mcan:"
"Not in one session, Look yonder
That's BraWlcy When | came through
= here ten years ago | could have haC
> my pick of this land AT - cents III
acre. They were working nj thi,
scheme thcn-on paper. was no
I alive to the possibilities then; l ha,
T not Yet lived in Utah"
: The train was slowing up by bran,
; new Neil'N painted station. Ther'
? were several dusty automobiles wait
ing 10y The track. "a few faded surrey
I and ,hr inevitable country hute. bus
= The platform WAS SNarmius Will
t alert. vigorous faces. distinctly of ih
= American type.
The man i'm the seat beside hin
4, asked iuckari if he observed the gen
! cral average of Intelligence iu Tho