THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



VOL. XIII. 



CHICAGO, JANUARY, 1899. 



NO. 4, 



THE PROGRESS OF WESTERN SMERICl 



A New Year's 



The ^ tasi J' ear f 1898 ma - V 

 Greeting. certainly be called a "history- 



making year" so many stirring events have 

 taken place, so many charges made, that 

 to even mention, let alone discuss, them. 

 would demand more time and space than 

 we oan spare. With the history of the late 

 war begun in the interest of humanity 

 but ending in the acquisition of new terri- 

 tory that was as unexpected as it is. to 

 many, unwelcome. we are all familiar. 

 and to review the glorious events which 

 changed civilians to soldiers, soldiers to 

 heroes, cemented north and south in bonds 

 of friendship, and rescued oppressed Cuba 

 from the tyranny of Spain, would be but a 

 repetition of what has already been re- 

 peated. So with a welcoming shout for the 

 soldiers returning and a tear for those 

 who will return no more, we leave this 

 part of history. After the usual Spanish 

 delay, the terms of peace have been signed 

 and the war is over. As a result of the 

 conflict, in which Uncle Sam has demon- 

 strated that he " intends to have peace 

 if he has to fight for it," the United States 

 has won for herself wholesome respect 

 from foreign powers, and begins the New 

 Year with a large standing army, better 

 defenses, a stronger navy and a friendlier 

 relation with England, than ever before. 

 and a colonial territory heretofore un- 

 dreamed of. Good crops and increased 

 trade has made the past year one of pros- 

 perity. The interest manifested in the 

 irrigation movement is a cause of especial 

 rejoicing to all of us who are working for 

 the cause: and we see encouraging signs 



for still more progress in the year of 1899. 

 So with rejoicing for our achievements, 

 regrets for our failures: with the determ- 

 ination to turn over the traditional "new 

 leaf" and. if necessary, nail it down to 

 keep it turned: the AGE welcomes 1899 

 and wishes for its readers a happy and 

 prosperous New Year. 



Possibilities Wyoming is a state of big 

 of Northern possibilities. Long regarded 

 Wyoming. as only a range country, its 

 broad plains and valleys were .covered 

 by roaming flocks and herds while 

 other regions no more favorably situated 

 were being dotted over with homesteads. 

 But a change has come, and when the next 

 great westward movement of homeseekers 

 occurs Wyoming will attract thousands 

 where before she attracted scores. One 

 of the last of the arid states to recognize 

 the benefits of irrigation, Wyoming is now 

 one of its most active and certainly its 

 most intelligent advocate. In no other 

 state have so many public men of genuine 

 ability and almost prophetic foresight 

 given their best efforts to the study of the 

 problems of irrigation in its relations to 

 the development of a region capable of al- 

 most unlimited advancement when its 

 water supply is utilized to the utmost. 

 Ex-Senator J. M. Carey devoted his great 

 abilities to the study of irrigation and to 

 framing and securing the passage of the 

 Carey Act, which, whatever its defects, 

 has had great influence in developing por- 

 tions of the arid region and in directing 

 public attention to the needs and possibil- 

 ities of the states where irrigation is nee- 



