THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



167 



of these- settlers, the rest coining from Nebraska, In- 

 diana, Minnesota, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michi- 

 gan, New York, West Virginia, Kentucky, Massachu- 

 setts, Vermont, Nevada and Maryland, with a sprin- 

 kling from southwestern states. 



There was also a large influx of aliens into the 

 northwest in 1908, when, with the exception of Min- 

 nesota, Missouri and California, Washington added 

 more foreign population than any other state west of 

 the Mississippi River. There were approximately 10,- 

 000 aliens, and of these Scandinavians were in the 

 lead, with south Italians second, English third, Ger- 

 mans fourth and Finnish fifth. 



The most important thing about immigration into 

 Washington last year is that the greatest increase in 

 numbers was of those who engage either in profesional 

 or skilled occupations. Relatively to the great mass of 

 immigrants, the number of foreigners of good class 

 who declared Washington as their destination was 

 larger than in any other state. 



The number of laborers, so classed, who entered 

 the state from foreign countries last year was 5,500 in 

 round numbers. The number of farmers is exception- 

 ally high, and shows, of course, the settlement of the 

 rural districts by a thrifty class of people. 



In recent information received from the 

 Grant Reclamation Service we note that the 



Easier Secretary of the Interior has issued in- 



Conditions. structions to the General Land Office 

 which removes a difficulty which has been 

 encountered in .connection with entries under the Rec- 

 lamation Law. In information issued by the General 

 Land Office in January, 1908, provision is made that 

 after the requirements of the Homestead Law as to 

 residence and cultivation have been complied with, the 

 entryman or his heirs may make final proof of com- 

 pliance with these requirements, when he will be re- 

 lieved of the necessity of residing upon the land. 



It is our impression that there is perhaps some 

 mistake in the date, as if this ruling were made it 

 would have been published prior to this time. We be- 

 lieve that in making copy for the press an error was 

 made and it should have read January, 1909. This, 

 however, is immaterial, in view of the fact that such a 

 ruling has been made by the department, which leads 

 us to believe that the Reclamation Service and the In- 

 terior Department are making an effort to make it 

 more easy for the settler who takes up land under the 

 Reclamation Law than was contemplated in the law it- 

 self. It is a well-known fact that all of the larger pri- 

 vate irrigation projects which have been rapidly settled 

 have realized that the government is sadly handicapped 

 by some of the rules and regulations concerning the 

 colonization of land under that law. In the first place, 

 the settler has no available asset upon which to borrow 



under the Reclamation Law until he has proved up, 

 no matter what his improvements or expenditure may 

 have been upon the land. To make it clear, we will 

 say that heretofore a man who has taken up land under 

 the Reclamation Law has had to pay the usual 10 per 

 cent annually, but has had no opportunity, no matter 

 who improvements he may have put on his land, to use 

 them as a borrowing asset, hence, the man who se- 

 cured land under this system and had no ready money 

 for improvements in the way of buildings, would find 

 it necessary to go slowly and perhaps not get very 

 far ahead before he had proved up. While, on the 

 contrary, under private irrigation projects as soon as a 

 man proves up under 30 days' residence, he has some 

 standing with the banks and money lenders, and can 

 borrow sufficient money to house his family and stock 

 properly, and if he is the right sort of a man he can 

 secure money to purchase implements and additional 

 live stock, thereby placing himself in a position of in- 

 dependence within twelve or fifteen months. 



We are glad to note the improvement in the plan 

 of Federal development, but believe it will be necessary 

 to go much further along this line before settlers will 

 be willing or anxious to take up land under Govern- 

 ment projects as against the inducements offered under 

 private systems. It seems that this ever salient feature 

 of development under Federal Control has been over- 

 looked by the Interior Department and Reclamation 

 Officials. They cannot expect to compete 'with live 

 Carey Act institutions until they can offer equally as 

 strong inducements. The claim is made, to be sure, 

 that the Government project is superior to private work 

 so far as stability and finish is concerned, but that has 

 very little weight with the average settler, who is look- 

 ing to make quick money returns from his labor and 

 investment. 



It is gratifying, however, to know that the Interior 

 Department is willing to make concessions, and it is 

 sincerely to be hoped that they may make further cor- 

 rections and ask for some change in the law which will 

 permit them to advertise their projects as extensively 

 as is being done by private corporations. 



In reply to an inquiry from St. Louis re- 

 Irrigation specting the opportunities in China for 

 in China. electrical pumps for domestic water sup- 

 ply, Vice-Consul C. L. L. Williams fur- 

 nished the information that China presents a large field 

 for irrigation, which is absolutely necessary, and which 

 is now being done by hand over large areas in that 

 country. The fact should be recognized that the supe- 

 riority of pump over hand power must first be prac- 

 tically demonstrated to the Chinese, who from time 

 immemorial have not altered this method, and do not 

 readily take to foreign innovations of any character. 

 As soon as these people are properly educated to the 



