103 THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



public land has been comparable to that of a poorly tended orchard, 

 where each apple has been bitten by a bird or insect the amount act- 

 ually consumed is relatively insignificant, but the fruit is spoiled. 

 One man by securing title to a few acres controlling the water supply, 

 nas virtually become possessor of thousands of additional acres which 

 might otherwise have been used for farms. The opportunities for 

 doing this on a small scale Lave largely been seized, but by combina- 

 tions of capital they may be indefinitely extended. 



Why not leave the development to corporate enterprise, as in the 

 case of railroads? This also has been tried, and large irrigation sys- 

 tems have been built. In nearly all instances these have been finan- 

 cial failures, although of great benefit to the country. It is highly 

 improbable that more capital can be brought to construct those costly 

 works unless the most stringent and oppressive monoply can be cre- 

 ated. If well administered the benefits are such that they cannot ac- 

 crue solely to a water company, but the public gains at the expense of 

 the investor. The latter becomes an involuntary philanthropist, sim- 

 ply because he cannot control all the returns which come from his in- 

 vestment. 



In other words, these works, when successfully built, benefit the 

 community, but not the owner The situation is comparable in some 

 respects to that in building lighthouses, improving harbors or public 

 roads the corporation or the individual who expends the money can- 

 not be sure of securing remuneration for his enterprise. 



Why not turn over, to the states in which they are situated all 

 these lands, and let each state attend to the matter? This has been 

 frequently advocated and tried in a small way, but the state in which 

 these lands are situated are for the most part poor, and the lands them- 

 selves mus,, be used as a basis of security for money obtained; in other 

 words, the lands must be sold or rented to secure funds, and this in 

 the past has invariably resulted in putting the lands into the hands of 

 speculators the very thing to be avoided. 



The national government is the owner of these millions of acres 

 of fertile but arid land, and, as the owner, has duties as well as privi- 

 leges. But the question may be asked: Why should the East be 

 taxed to assist in developing the West? The answer lies in the fact 

 that the prosperity of one part of the country is closely linked with 

 that of another. 



But the farmers of Illinois and Indiana say: We do not want more 

 agricultural land and more products brought into the market, as will 

 result from the creation of more small farms in the West. 



This is a mistake founded upon ignorance. The products of the 

 arid and semi- arid region cannot compete with those of the humid. 

 Different crops seeking a different market are produced. The products 



