RECLAMATION OP ARID LANDS BEADLE. 460 



to repay to the United States the large investment made in building 

 the works. Thus, in a sense, the Keclamation Service stands midway 

 between the water usei-s and the Nation, owing a duty to each and 

 responsible for the protection of interests that may sometimes ap- 

 pear antagonistic, making the service a natural target for criticism 

 from one quarter or another. However, a broad view of the rela- 

 tions between the Government and the irrigators will usually show 

 their interests to coincide, since the Government has made large 

 investments in reclamation works, the return of which to the Na- 

 tional Treasury is directly dependent upon the success of the settlers. 



Among those entering public lands are many with no experience 

 in irrigation and often little or none at farming of any kind. Even 

 with water brought to the edge of his farm, the pioneer irrigator 

 has much hard work not common to farming in older humid settle- 

 ments. The land must be cleared, ditched, and carefully graded to 

 receive the irrigation Avater, which must be manipulated with skill 

 to prevent loss and damage. Capital is necessary to prepare the 

 land, erect buildings, equip and stock the farai. Many of the prob- 

 lems attending a new agricultural community brought quickly into 

 being relating to crop selection, disease prevention, transportation, 

 and marketing of crops, call for cooperative effort and must be 

 worked out for each project. 



In many of these matters the Reclamation Service can act only 

 by suggestion, being limited rather narrowly in the powers given 

 by law. 



RECLAMATION LAW. 



^Miat may be regarded as the " organic act " governing the opera- 

 tions of the Eeclamation Service became law in June, 1902, and is 

 commonly called the reclamation act. This remains the principal 

 legislation, but has been amended and supplemented from time to 

 time in important details, particularly by what is called the reclama- 

 tion extension act of August 13, 1914. The broad features of the 

 existing law provide for the following: 



1. A reclamation fund composed of the receipts from the disposal of public 

 lands in the arid States under the provisions of the various land laws. The 

 fund now approximates a hundred million dollars. 



2. The construction of irrigation systems to water public and private lands. 



3. Practically free entry to the public lands under the irrigation projects, 

 limiting any one citizen to a farm of such size as is capable of supporting a 

 family. 



4. Subdivision of the private lands by sale in small tracts, limiting the area 

 to which water will be furnished one individual to 160 acres. 



5. Repayment in easy terms, extending over a long period, of the cost of 

 building the works by the holders of the lauds benefited, the money going back 

 into the reclamation fund for use on other projects. 



