THE IRKIGA T10N A GE. 333 



from the strength of mind and body. The moral atmosphere is tain- 

 ted and cantaminating. There is no distinction made between the 

 most debased criminal and the man who erred through the strenuous 

 pressure of unfortunate circumstances. He claims that out of the 33,- 

 000 criminals in the United States, 25,000 are detained within the 

 prison walls on account of the defects of the present system. In prison 

 the convict is frequently employed in time-killing drudgery, argues 

 the senator. His labor benefits neither himself nor the state. When 

 the prisoner is released, mind and body are botl^ weakened by confine- 

 ment. Reproach and contempt follow as a matter of course. Under 

 such circumstances there is no chance for the discharged prisoner 

 who wants to lead an honest life. He cannot make a living in compe- 

 tition with his fellows. Vagrancy and fresh crimes are the inevitable 

 results. 



"By labor, in the arid regions, the convicts could work in the open 

 air. Their surroundings would be the most healthful. The labor, in- 

 sists the senator, would be pleasant and less onerous than in the 

 prison. In the continual change of scene, the men would forget the 

 past and no longer brood over their mistakes or plot revenge. It 

 would induce them to forget their condition and the wages paid would 

 be of assistance when the day of assistance when the day of discharge 

 came." 



Knowing you as I do, Dear Governor, 1 am not surprised at your 

 originating this novel and humanitarian plan of constructing this 

 grand work, at the same time relieving so much mental as well as the 

 physical sufferings of that unfortunate class of our people, viz, the 

 criminal and convicts of our prisons; but, Dear Governor, will you 

 pardon me for a kindly criticism of a few sections of your article, and 

 consider the substitutes I may suggest as they appear more practical 

 to me. 



For forty years I have advocated the idea and it being the duty 

 of the general government to construct the reservoirs and main canals 

 to furnish or supply the water for this purpose of reclaiming these 

 arid lands of the west, and providing homes for 100,000,000 people 

 where now but a few thousand exist . 



Nine years ago I advocated this principle in the National Irriga- 

 tion Convention, and have since, but never until at our very zealous 

 and harmonious session at Chicago last winter did this plan meet with 

 general favor, and at that session after brief discussion by delegates 

 from Massachusetts, California, Arizona and North Dakota and near 

 all the intermediate states and territories this method was adopted 

 and President McKinley was memorialized to lay the matter before 

 Congress, asking for an appropriation to begin the work. 



Now, Dear Sir, you propose to have this work done as far as may 



