THE 1RR1GA TION AGE. 143 



capital need supply. If rightly managed the balance can be provided 

 in cash and labor from the settlers, 



I have in mind another which can be reclaimed at an expense of 

 from a million to a million and a quarter dollars a magnificent plain 

 of rich, virgin soil, comprising 300,000 acres of the best grain, fruit, 

 hay or vegetable land the country affords, adjacent to a city and good 

 transportation, which would be well worth $30 an acre, with opportu- 

 nities for building a city and promoting many industries. 



Such opportunities are better than gold mines because they are 

 sure, and creating wealth in this way is much more honorable than 

 creating artificial wealth in organizing trusts and manipulating stocks 

 or working corners on the board of trade. Creating wealth and op- 

 portunity in this way is exhibiting true patriotism, and is a work of 

 humanity as well as of profit. 



THE CO-OPERARIVE PLAN. 



No matter how an irrigation system is financed it is the money of 

 the settlers which must eventually pay for its canals, reservoirs, 

 water rights and the distribution of water. The wisest and most eco- 

 nomical plan for promoting such enterprises, therefore, if it could be 

 brought about, at least for those most intimately concerned, would be 

 to have the settlers combine, co-operate and build it themselves, those 

 who are forehanded supplying the money to share in the profit result- 

 ing from sales on time payments to those who must buy in that way. 

 Or a large part of the capital can be the labor of the settlers them- 

 selves expended in constructing the canals. In this way perpetual 

 water rights can be very cheaply supplied, while avoiding the usual 

 subsequent burdensome annnal water rentals, the subsequent expense 

 being only the nominal cost of maintenance, which may be paid large- 

 ly in labor. Under this plan irrigated farms can be supplied to set- 

 tlers as cheaply as if Uncle Sam did the job himself, and with much 

 less red tape. In fact, so cheaply and upon such easy terms as to be 

 within the reach of all thrifty, industrious people. 



It is true it would be impractical to undertake large areas in this 

 way, but there are many smaller ones which could be. For example, 

 we know of a fine body of 15,000 acres of land, with reservoirs which 

 nature has largely made, which could be reclaimed at an expense of 

 $35,000 in money and labor, which it would be entirely practicable to 

 develop on this plan. The land when reclaimed and in cultivation 

 would be well worth $50 an acre. Those subscribing the money for 

 such development could agree to deposit it with some trust company, 

 to be used when the full amount of money has been subscribed, to be 

 expended under the supervision of the trust company to insure its wise 

 use, following the plan in this respect under which many Mexican 

 plantation companies have been financed. 



These are examples of many opportunities open to the investment 

 of capital and to afford farms and homes to those seeking them. A 

 boom is coming in irrigation, and those who catch it on the rise will 

 reap the largest profits. 



