168 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



record, viz : "Every drainage basin should do business 

 with the national government as a unit 'the water-users 

 of which' can adopt any rules or regulations desired or 

 approved by the Secretary of the Interior." Is that 

 "home rule?" Or is it irrigation government through 

 and by agents at Washington, and the adjustment of 

 claims by political appointees of the national govern- 

 ment? Up to date the Government has not mani- 

 fested a desire to carry out his plan. 



During the controversy Mr. Maxwell circulated a 

 thirty-two-page pamphlet in which a malicious attack 

 on Elwood Mead wa-s the leading feature. This and a 

 flooding of the Legislature and newspapers with mis- 

 representations confused many. Mr. Maxwell had 

 achieved some reputation by his campaign for the N. I. 

 A., and was by many considered well informed, and was 

 therefore given a hearing. The result was that not one 

 of several bills introduced to amend the irrigation law 

 was passed. The proposed law based on Wyoming was 

 carefully studied by a large number of irrigators who 

 approved and desired its enactment, but the limited 

 time of the legislator and other matters prevented. 



Meantime Mr. Maxwell has suffered among those 

 who investigated the merits of the controversy, because 

 of his evident unfairness, his effort to mislead and his 

 unwarranted interference. 



IN MISTY MARCH. 



Above the bridge upon a day 



When wintry chains no more 

 Extend their rigid tyranny 



From helpless shore to shore, 

 I watch the waters rushing down 



From somewhere thro' the mist 

 That hides the sources of the flood 



In veils of amethyst. 



Above the bridge ah ! who shall say 



How many hopes and fears 

 Float out upon the seaward tide 



To meet the unknown years. 

 The laughing wave that dances on 



Unmindful of its fate, 

 May karn to know the bitterness 



Of some dark maelstrom's hate. 



Above the bridge the mystery 



Of life's beginning lures ; 

 Below the winding of the stream 



Leads my long way or yours. 

 We may not change the constant course 



Nor well the tide resist 

 Here on the bridge it comes and goes 



Thro' veils of amethyst. 



GEORGE E. BOWEN. 



Prof. Rudolf Eucken, of Jena, discusses in the 

 April-June Forum "The Present Estimate of the Value 

 of Human Life." He traces the causes of the recent 

 tendency to pessimism, but maintains that this conclu- 

 sion is not justified. 



"John!" whispered the good woman in the dead of 

 night, "there are burglars down stairs." 



"You go down, dear," replied John ; "they wouldn't 

 hurt, a woman." 



INFLUENCES IN THE NATIONAL IRRIGATION 

 PROGRAM. 



BY D. H. ANDERSbN. 



That irrigation is essential to the arid region has 

 been amply demonstrated ; that the highest type of agri- 

 culture is represented there is evident to one visiting 

 Colorado, Utah or California; that the government has 

 failed to do its whole duty by the pioneer farmers of 

 the west is each year more fully recognized. The irri- 

 gated area of the western states is six times as great 

 as the entire area of Rhode Island. The crops grown 

 are more diversified than those raised in the Eastern 

 Atlantic States and their value exceeds the product 

 of any equal area elsewhere in the United States. Ob- 

 ject lessons abound from the fruit farms of Washington 

 to the rice lands of Louisiana and Texas and from the 

 wheatfields of Montana to the orange groves of Southern 

 California. In one place the water supply has been 

 fully used by the husbandmen; in another, both land 

 and water lie idle, awaiting the quickening influence of 

 capital. Irrigated Spain is represented in California, 

 Egypt in Arizona and Italy in . Southern Colorado and 

 Utah. The possibilities for further development in each 

 state and territory are great, and the time may come 

 when the area irrigated in several of these may equal 

 or exceed that brought under cultivation in any one 

 of the older countries. Whether this is accomplished or 

 not depends upon how far the work of reclamation is 

 directed to aid the homeseeker and investor. It will 

 not take place during the life time of the present gener- 

 ation if the trust recently imposed by Congress is not 

 lived up to in good faith. It will be a death blow to 

 further extension of national aid if representatives of 

 corporate interests are permitted to manipulate the 

 reclamation service of the government. The object 

 of this discussion is to bring to public attention the 

 dangers which now threaten the prosecution of this im- 

 portant work. The AGE has been slow to make a move 

 in this direction and the step has not been taken without 

 due study and consideration. Those who wish evidence 

 on any point raised in this paper can, we are persuaded, 

 be satisfied, should they bring the matter to our atten- 

 tion. 



CHARACTER OF WATER RIGHTS AND STATE SUPERVISION. 



Before entering upon the principal subject for dis- 

 cussion, it is thought best to briefly review the character 

 of water rights in the various states and outline in as 

 few words as possible, the existing systems of state con- 

 trol. The west was settled before laws came from the 

 east. Strict local regulations prevailed in many dis- 

 tricts where it was impossible to protect the settlers 

 in any other way. Judge Lynch held sway where peace- 

 ful and law-abiding communities now flourish. The 

 first law introduced governing the diversion and use of 

 water was aimed to protect the miner. He often went 

 before the irrigator. When the latter appeared, he 

 found that he could secure a water right, so-called, by 

 simply posting a notice at the point where he proposed 

 to divert water. This was an extremely simple proced- 

 ure, and until new comers began to encroach upon the 

 supply, it was held in high esteem. Cases in court 

 grew out of neighborhood quarrels and now the only 

 way for a person to secure a right to use water in many 

 of the western states and territories is to institute legal 

 proceedings. When two irrigators appear in court they 

 establish, "in a way, their relative rights. A third party 

 who may feel aggrieved by the award can re-open the 

 litigation at any time. In the second suit there may be 



