The Irrigation Schemes of the West. 201 



The return that the government receives from the average of 

 all its agricultural land parted with, year after year, comes to so 

 little more than enough to pay for the actual expenses of market- 

 ing it, that this return may be left out of the question. And 

 then, it must be borne in mind that with the rapid increase of 

 population in this and other countries and the consequent con- 

 stant increase in the demand for food, it is perfectly certain thai 

 these wild lands of ours will be worth very much more, will 

 actually command a much higher value in cash, if held and sold 

 only on business principles, during the time of each successive 

 generation than during the time of that which last preceded it. 

 We are forcing upon a market ali*eady fearfully oversupplied the 

 property for which the future is positively certain to bring a 

 vastly increased demand at vastly higher prices than can now be 

 secured for it. For all practical purposes, the lands are given 

 away. ■ "■ 



But we are furnishing homes to the homeless, and developing 

 the country! A great many birds have been caught with that 

 chaff. A farm is primarily a factory, only incidentally — and acci- 

 dentally — a home; keep that distinction very clearly and sharply 

 in mind, I pray you. Of course the owner may live on the prem- 

 ises; so may the owner of a cotton mill. But in every respect in 

 which the occupancy of new farms at the far west affects the 

 interests of the present owners of the property out of which they 

 are carved, the people of the United States, each new farm is to be 

 considered entirely as a new factory, entering directly into com- 

 petition with those now established. 



And as to developing the country: The long life of the passion 

 for accomplishing that very indefinite feat is a straight case of the 

 dog's turning round before he lie« doviTi because his ancestors 

 discovered that the practice, under the circumstances then sui> 

 rounding them, conduced to their well being. A century ago, n'o 

 doubt, the country needed development; but, great heavens! what 

 is the haste to develop it further just now? Are we not numer^ 

 ous enough, strong enough, as a people? Could any nation on 

 earth dream of invading our territory? What in the world are 



