THE IKhlGAlON AGE. 299 



policy, which would insure their settlement in small tracts by genuine 

 home-builders? 



The theory of State cession grew out of the old idea that the 

 National Government never would do anything for the reclamation of 

 the arid public lands. Nothing is more certain now than that the 

 Federal Government will inaugurate a policy for their reclamation, 

 and the necessity for State cession is thus withdrawn. The reclama- 

 tion of the arid public lands could not be accomplished by their ces- 

 sion to the States for many reasons. 



The rivers are mostly interstate streams. Those rising, for in- 

 stance, in Colorado and Wyoming flow into or through seventeen 

 States and Territories. The States have not the financial resources. 

 They will not provide the necessary capital by direct taxation. It 

 cannot be raised by bonding the land. This has been tried and failed. 

 The States cannot raise the money by the issuance of State bonds 

 The people would not vote them in any of the States, and many of the 

 States have already reached the limit of indebtedness under their 

 constitution. 



Again, the history of all State land grants has been that they are 

 squandered, and the purpose of the grant is not accomplished. Past 

 experience is a warning against State cession for this reason. Con- 

 ditional State cession is utterly impracticable. No conditions could 

 be imposed which would not be evaded, and the confession that con- 

 ditions are necessary is the strongest argument against State cession. 

 More than all this, tnere is a bitter antagonism to State cession in the 

 West which is so deeply rooted that the West itself would repudiate 

 such a policy. This was demonstrated in the last two sessions of 

 Congress by the large number of strong petitions coming from the 

 West in opposition to State cession. In the East the opposition is 

 still more intense, and it is certain beyond question that no general 

 policy of State cession could ever be passed through Congress. 



This being so, and it being beyond question possible to secure the 

 inauguration of a broad policy for the reclamation through the Na- 

 tional Government itself of the arid public domain, the wise policy 

 for the West is for the people of that section of the country to stand 

 united in urging the speedy inauguration of the national irrigation 

 policy. The two, however, cannot go together.. State cession would 

 kill the national irrigation movement. The strongest argument to 

 induce the Government to undertake the construction of reservoirs 

 and irrigation works in the arid region, is that the Government is the 

 largest land-owner in the West. If the Government parted with the 

 land and gave it to the States, it would be upon the theory that the 

 States could take the lands and build their own reservoirs and irriga- 

 tion works. This they fail to do, and enormous detriment to the 

 West would inevitably result by such a disposition of the lands. 



