408 1HEIRRIGA TION A GL . 



the sixth principal meridian, it will yield a superficial area of surface 

 water exceeding that of the entire chain of northern lakes combined; 

 with such an expanse of area for evaporation, precipitation and in- 

 creased rainfall is inevitable, 



It is computed that in this vast territory there are more than 

 100,000,000 acres of barren arid land that can be transformed into 

 ideal farms and ideal homes for more than 50,000,000 people. Public 

 sentiment is rapidly crystalizing into the belief that it is wise states- 

 manship for the entire nation, and the duty of the general govern- 

 ment to reclaim this arid land as rapidly as possible. And now that 

 we have a senator who has the ability to present and the nerve to de- 

 mand of congress a recognition of western rights; a senator who will 

 stand shoulder to shoulder, "cheek by jowl" with the Carters of the 

 U. S. senate, to arrest and divert to a better use the extravagant and 

 wasteful appropriations for the protection of the lower Mississippi 

 plantations under the guise of "river and harbor improvements," we 

 may hope for a speedy fruition of this wisely conceived design for de- 

 velopment. " Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished." 



While we sincerely believe that it is possible under the reclama- 

 tion to increase the guage of rainfall and minimize the hazard of farm- 

 ing in central Kansas, we abate no jot or title of our declaration that 

 it is economy and to the best interest of every farmer to have a plant 

 of sufficient capacity to irrigate his orchard and truck patch, and as 

 much more as possible. Let us irrigate. 



