254 



1HE IRRIGATION AGE. 



gars, thieves, and Government paupers, 

 where once they owned their own farms, 

 reared their own families, and had 

 their own tribal government. It 

 is hoped by every one familiar with 

 the subject that Congress will see 

 the justice, wisdom, and absolute econ- 

 omy of making these Indians self-sustain- 

 ing through substantial irrigation con- 

 struction. 



Large 



The government of India is 



frrigatioa undertaking some irrigation 

 Construction. WQrks which win a(W j arge 



areas of reclaimed land to the many mil- 

 lions of acres which the British govern- 

 ment has'already placed under irrigation. 

 The total cost of this present development 

 will be somewhat upwards of forty mil- 

 lions of dollars. The water used is the 

 melted snows from the great Himalayan 

 range. 



Demands The time will come when the 

 Investigation. millionsof acres of fertile land 



now uninhabitable for lack of water will 

 be needed for homes and as an outlet for a 

 rapidly increasing population. With the 

 pressure which is always behind a measure 

 conferring local benefits it will be decided 

 long before the real necessity arises that 

 the people need more room, and as a gen- 

 eral principle it can safely be left to the 

 influences of such pressure to accomplish 

 all that is necessary in extending the ha- 

 bitable area. It is equally certain how- 

 ever, that in time money will be spent by 

 the government for the reclamation of arid 

 lands, and in view of this there is one step 

 congress should take which admits of no 

 delay. The possibilities of water conser- 

 vation should be fully determined, and all 

 government land which will come under 

 the influence of works to be constructed 

 later on should be reserved from settle- 

 ment or entry. 



. . .. An impression prevails in the 



Irrigation 



Means east that irrigation will ex- 



Growth, clusively benefit the west. 

 This is an error. Irrigation will benefit 

 the country from the Atlantic to the Paci- 

 fic. Irrigation means settlement. The 

 presence of an additional large and flour- 

 ishing population in the west will lead to 



Irrigation 

 Must be 

 Pushed. 



an increased demand for eastern manufac- 

 tures. It is a mistaken policy to retard or 

 delay settlement of the arid lands of the 

 west because somebody believes it will be 

 of no benefit to other sections of the coun- 

 try. Any one familiar with history is in a 

 position to refute such a claim as prepos- 

 terous. 



There are some seven months 

 before the next session of con- 

 gress, which wili be the long 

 or unlimited session. There were some 

 good little fights made in the recent short 

 and limited session on the irrigation ques- 

 tion, and in the common long session there 

 will be some better ones. The West has, 

 in a word, scored, but it has not won, and 

 it must prepare for some vigorous fighting 

 before it can win. There will be no ex- 

 cuse in the next congress for not thresh- 

 ing the subject out. Congress bas had its 

 notice and it will not do for leaders to 

 cla4m that new legislation is being attempt- 

 ed and that there is not time to think out 

 and discuss a comprehensive plan. The 

 best plan in the range of human possibili- 

 ty would be antagonized by some eastern 

 men, but in the future they will be com- 

 pelled to come out into the open and state 

 their bill of particulars. , Generalities will 

 not suffice. 



On the other hand, it behooves the 

 people of the West to get together very 

 close on this irrigation question. It be- 

 hooves them to stand shoulder to shoulder 

 like twin brothers, and to present an un- 

 broken, unanimous front. There are 

 seven months' interim. That period 

 should be employed in smoothing out any 

 differences which may now exist on this 

 subject a ndgetting into absoltue accord 

 upon the policy to be presented by the 

 West looking to its reclamation through 

 government assistance. It should also be 

 spent in organizaaion. Without organi- 

 zation nothing can be accomplished; with 

 organizatio" everything. 



Is it to be supposed that the West 

 would today be fighting vainly for its 

 rights if it had been thoroughly organized? 

 Suppose every organization of every kind 

 in the arid States and Territories had con- 



