THE IEKIGATION AGE. 



461 



(Continued from page 452.) 



under the law. We must, then, go a step further and hold 

 that the right to use water belongs to the user and not to 

 the individual or association. We must agree, at some 

 time, as to the facts that must be secured to establish a 

 right to use, and then provide an administration to pro- 

 tect such a right when it is denned. But few states and 

 territories have assumed to accept such a responsibility in 

 even a small way, yet I can say from an experience of 

 nearly twenty years in such administrative work, that it is 

 no more difficult than are many other branches of execu- 

 tive work that have been assumed by the public and which 

 are accepted without question as a proper responsibility 

 of the public. 



The history of the west during the past ten years is 

 a sad commentary on the adequacy of state government in 

 so far as the administration of our streams is concerned. 

 The states and territories are not altogether to blame for 

 this condition. Petty jealousies among those in high 

 places, and the advice of men who have never had a day's 

 experience in irrigation construction, the management of 

 irrigation works or the administration of study of proper 

 legal principles, have joined to complicate all attempts at 

 reform in many legislatures. A propaganda was organ- 

 ized eight or ten years ago. which evidently had the sup- 

 port of the Reclamation Service, which has done more to 

 defeat good irrigation legislation than any one other 

 movement. Evidently the object of this crusade was to 

 leave the states and territories at the mercy of the offi- 

 cers of the government. Threats were made that if cer- 

 tain laws were not enacted, but little would be done by 

 the Reclamation Service. A general code was prepared 

 and issued under the authority of the government, as an 

 outline for the states and territories to follow. Under this, 

 the director of the Geological Survey, then the head of 

 the Reclamation Service, could dictate the appointment of 

 state and territorial officers who were to be charged with 

 the irrigation administration. The code recommended, 

 was and is, in my judgment, of but little practical value. 

 It has not worked successfully where it has been in oper- 

 ation. It does not define important principles, but pro- 

 vides for procedures which are complicated and, in many 

 cases, impossible in practice. 



We have done nothing, thus far, to encourage set- 

 tlement along lines that will insure continued prosperity 

 and build up great states. This is a work that we could 

 with profit undertake. Let us outline some plan of action. 

 Let us not claim that irrigation is to make homes on the 

 land for the destitute of our great cities. We know that 

 the best eastern farmer has trouble enough to maintain 

 himself on a new farm in the west. How can we expect 

 that a destitute family, without knowledge of agriculture 

 of any kind, can succeed. 



Is it not time that the National Irrigation Congress 

 awake from its slumber? Should we not study fundamental 

 principles and agree upon a platform setting forth their 

 relative importance and their intrinsic value? Have we not 

 had enough experience with moulders of public sentiment 

 and with those who spend their time and energy before 

 the doors of congress, when their real duty lies in the 

 fields of the west? 



If we have no work and no responsibility, let us 

 muster the congress out of service. If we recognize that 

 the water user needs laws and regulations which embrace 

 only a few important principles, we can no longer spend 

 our time and energy in promoting the personal interests of 



men who come here for selfish purposes and who have 

 other objects than the protection of the irrigator at heart. 



THE BROTHEN LEVEL. 



In explanation of its device for determining the lay of 

 the land, in making laterals and running lines for ditches, 

 dams and canals, the Brothen Manufacturing Co., Ltd., of 

 Mountain Home, Idaho, has recently placed on the press a 

 booklet calculated to exploit the value of Mr. Brothen's ap- 

 paratus. It is claimed that the Brothen level is a simple 

 contrivance but of inestimable value for irrigators or 

 others who wish to accurately determine levels. 



IRRIGATION MADE EASY 



with the BROTHEN AUTOMATIC LEVEL. 



Gives automatically the level or any grade 

 desired, and will verify the correctness of 

 its own work from where it is operated. 



PRICE $10.00; WITH TRIPOD $12.00 



For further Information address 



A. A. BROTHEN, Idaho Falls, Idaho 



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will improve your water 

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 DURABLE. 



Our line of 



HEAD GATES 

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 we have patterns for 

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 Don't forget that a 

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The Dayton Globe 

 Iron Works Go, 



Dayton Ohio 



