THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



Idaho, Nevada, California, Washington, Oregon and 

 Montana. The friends of irrigation are up and doing 

 in all these States. The National Committee is in 

 close touch with all the incoming governors. A great 

 effort will be made to secure the enactment of legis- 

 lation which will enable the States to realize the ben- 

 efits of the Carey law. It is probable that no attempt 

 at purely public enterprise will be made, but that 

 State boards will be created with power to select 

 lands for reclamation and enter into contracts with 

 construction companies, the land being sold for a 

 nominal sum or given away, and the State fixing the 

 maximum price of the water rights. Under this 

 plan one million acres in each of the States men- 

 tioned could speedily be thrown open as fields where 

 industrious men might find labor and homes. The 

 outworking of this program may possibly lead to 

 stupendous results during 1895. If it does not do 

 that, it will at least put eight States in a position to 

 develop rapidly hereafter. Kansas and Nebraska 

 will also make determined efforts to provide them- 

 selves with administrative systems. 



It may also be predicted with confidence 

 Advanced , , , 



Colonies that another early development ot the 

 Coming. y gar w jjj ^ Q ^ e founding of important 

 colonies which are calculated to exert a far-reaching 

 influence upon the future of Arid America. The 

 only salvation for companies which have large in- 

 vestments in irrigation works is to colonize their 

 lands. The operations of the Carey law will put a 

 large amount of cheap land upon the market. This 

 will not injure the irrigation companies, but it will 

 cause them to change their methods. They must 

 give more thought to the matter of planning colonies 

 which will be attractive to the people. They must 

 help their settlers to find the way to prosperity. There 

 will be just as many kinds of land in the market as 

 there are qualities of dress goods in the dry goods 

 stores. Some people will buy calico, some will buy 

 cheap woolens, some will buy fine silks. But those 

 who buy the silks will expect to find competent dress- 

 makers at hand, and they will be very particular 

 about the style and fit. The production of silk is 

 not ruined by the presence of calico and woolen in 

 the market. The lands already acquired under pri- 

 vate enterprise are generally those which offer the 

 best advantages. If those who have them in hand 

 will add to these advantages carefully-matured plans 

 for attractive colonies, they will find that the recla- 

 mation of the public lands will be a great advantage 

 to them. It will result in making irrigation a house- 



hold word, and turning the thoughts of millions of 

 people to the possibilities of home-making in the 

 arid region. And when this is done, the best irrigated 

 lands will be in high demand by those who have 

 means to take advantage of their opportunities. It 

 yet remains to make a colony which shall represent 

 the best modern thought, and the highest social and 

 industrial conditions possible under irrigation. But 

 we believe this will be done during the coming year. 



Another certain development of the new 

 The Cam- 

 paign of year will be a campaign or education in 

 Education. the ast> and> possiblV) in Europe. This 



seems likely to be reinforced by a considerable out- 

 put of popular literature. The chairman of the Na- 

 tional Irrigation Committee established modest head- 

 quarters in New York City during the fall, and has set 

 in motion a number of projects looking to the inaugu- 

 ration of a vigorous campaign in the interest of 

 western progress. It is a little early to predict re- 

 sults. And yet there is much ground for encourage- 

 ment. It is, perhaps, not hazardous to predict that a 

 good deal will be done this year in the way of popu- 

 larizing the irrigation cause. There will be many 

 addresses to general audiences, to labor unions, to 

 banking and commercial associations and to other 

 bodies. Not much could be achieved without the 

 assistance of influential public men, newspapers and 

 magazines. But it is hoped that these forces may be 

 enlisted. If they are, it is within the range of possi- 

 bilities that the making of history will be begun in 

 earnest. 



Another important undertaking easily 



Chicago, A -j 



New York, within the reach of the men of Arid 



London. America, ought to be accomplished this 

 year. Irrigation should have an attractive head- 

 quarters in Chicago, in New York, and in London. In 

 each of these great cities there should be a perma- 

 nent exhibit of the products of irrigation, as well as 

 something to show the geography of the arid region 

 and its varied resources. There should be an abun- 

 dance of maps, models and photographs. There 

 should be also a complete collection of Western 

 newspapers, and a very abundant supply of attractive 

 illustrated literature for distribution. No single in- 

 terest can afford to maintain such headquarters, but 

 a combination of interests could do it on a magnifi- 

 cent scale with corresponding results. We may have 

 something further to suggest on this subject, for we 

 most earnestly desire to see it undertaken during the 

 present year. It would be a mighty engine for the 

 education of the public. 



