THE IEEIGATION AGE. 



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water into their fields. Deprived of the relief resulting 

 from the old scrip issue and with the prospect of still 

 further delay in the arrival of water, they see only 

 starvation or departure from the lands on which they 

 had hoped to make homes. 



While Secretary Ballinger is rightfully guarded in 

 his statements as to the course he wishes to pursue, until 

 such time as he has made a thorough investigation of 

 conditions in all districts, it can he predicted that he 

 will finally reach a decision to take prompt steps toward 

 the solution of the problem. 



It is claimed that the economy in construction 

 would more than balance the interest on these bonds, 

 while the government loses none of its security in the 

 final liquidation of the indebtedness. Senator Borah 

 predicts that a recommendation from the Secretary of 

 the Interior will result in early authorization for the 

 bond issue. 



Convinced that the United States Land 

 and Irrigation Exposition, to be held at 

 Age Plans the chicago Coliseum, November 20 to 

 Exposition December 4, must wield a mighty influ- 

 Number. ence on ^ e f u ^ ure history of the west, 



THE IRRIGATION AGE has heartily joined in the work 

 of making this exhibition awaken the east and the 

 middle west from the lethargy of the last decade. 



The eyes of a continent are already turning toward 

 the blue hills, the sheltered valleys, the pure air and 

 the bright sunshine of a vast empire of plenty between 

 the Eockies and the coast Sierras. Capital, restless and 

 penetrative in its search for Increase, is flowing in 

 golden streams into every state from Texas to Washing- 

 ton and Montana to California. Earth, stone, cement, 

 steel, supplemented with modern day mechanics and 

 calculations, have entrapped the rushing waters that 

 for centuries have dashed recklessly down canon and 

 valley, and within a season have turned their tide, sub- 

 dued and tractable, upon parched lands that shall blos- 

 som forevermore into waving fields and smiling gardens. 



Yet the work is but half finished. People are 

 needed. The skilled hand of man must direct the plow, 

 the seeder and the reaper. There is an earnest call for 

 the pomologist, the fruit grower, the produce raiser, the 

 artisan, the mechanic and the retail merchant. A new 

 country, a grand country is opened and the vanguard 

 of freedom lovers and home builders is already beyond 

 the snow-capped Eockies. 



Eealizing the peculiarities of human nature, and 

 the demand for reliable information relating to the 

 various projects now in process of development in 

 the west, THE IRRIGATION AGE is preparing the issu- 

 ance of a November number which shall be distributed 

 liberally at the United States Land and Irrigation Ex- 

 position and shall direct the attention of visitors to 



those districts where the publisher has confidence in the 

 management and the ultimate success of the under- 

 taking. 



Aside from special articles and illustrations, calcu- 

 lated to make this issue the greatest ever attempted by 

 any journal exploiting the value of western irrigation 

 land, there will be interesting facts and information 

 for all readers who have heretofore taken no interest in 

 reclamation work. It can be predicted that visitors who 

 secure a copy of this issue will carry it to their homes 

 for careful perusal. 



In outlining this work THE IRRIGATION AGE be- 

 speaks for itself the support and co-operation of all irri- 

 gated land sellers. More than 25,000 extra copies of 

 this edition will be placed with visitors at the exposition, 

 and because of the reputation already established by 

 THE IRRIGATION AGE for cleanness of both its advertis- 

 ing and news columns, it can be predicted that patrons 

 of its "exposition" number must reap gratifying returns. 



One of the most consistent and frequent 

 Settlers complaints by settlers as filed with the 



Complain Senate Committee on Irrigation and Eec- 

 Against lamation of Public Lands during its re- 



Abuses, cent trip through the West, is that in con- 



nection with the liability of large increase 

 in the water cost between the time when the government 

 begins work and the final distribution of water to the 

 farms. 



Notices of these increases, as published in THE 

 IRRIGATION AGE, have not been infrequent and have 

 tended to discourage settlers. It was to be expected that 

 land owners would not allow the Senate committee to 

 pass their districts without making protest over this 

 objectionable feature of the reclamation bureau's work. 



Of the many resolutions presented to the Senate 

 committee, the following is typical : 



"Appreciating the intent of the honorable secretary of 

 the interior and the United States senate committee on 

 irrigation, to verse themselves on the actual conditions ex- 

 isting in the construction of the various government rec- 

 lamation projects, by personally inspecting the works, and 

 hearing complaints by personal meeting with the settlers 

 interested; 



"Therefore, the representatives of the following 

 project: The Klamath, North Platte valley, Strawberry 

 valley, Gadren City, Milk river, Williston, Truckee-Carson, 

 Orland-Unit, Buford-Trenton, Uncompahgre valley, in 

 meeting assembled in Salt Lake City this eighth day of 

 September, 1909, present these urging needs of the people 

 connected with the foregoing projects; 



"We heartily indorse the reclamation law and appre- 

 ciate the beneficial results obtained from the reclamation 

 of the arid lands by the government. 



"But, whereas, the people who accepted the govern- 

 ment proposition to construct irrigation systems under 

 the act of congress of June 17, 1902, did so assuming that 

 the law as passed was mandatory in its provisions and con- 

 clusive in statement. 



"And, whereas, relying upon the act and statements 

 made by the government engineers as the source of our 

 information on what we were to receive; 



"And, whereas, relying upon the law, and estimates 

 furnished us by the government engineers, we voluntarily 



