64 COMMISSION ON COUNTRY LIFE 



ceded to the states for the purpose of reclamation, 

 the greater part of which are unreclaimed, there 

 exists a special authority on the part of the federal 

 government by reason of failure to comply with 

 the terms of the grant; and there should be a 

 vigorous legal inquiry into the present rights of 

 the government with respect to them, followed, 

 if the status warrants it, by legal steps to rescind 

 the grants and to begin the practical work of rec- 

 lamation. 



(b) MONOPOLISTIC CONTROL OF STREAMS. 



The legitimate farming interests of the whole 

 country would be vastly benefited by a systema- 

 tic conservation and utilization, under the aus- 

 pices of the state and federal governments, of our 

 waterways both great and small. Important ad- 

 vantages of these waterways are likely to be ap- 

 propriated in perpetuity and without adequate 

 return to the people by monopolistic interests 

 that deprive the permanent agricultural in- 

 habitants of the use of them. 



The rivers are valuable to the farmers as 

 drainage lines, as sources of irrigation supply, as 

 carriers and equalizers of transportation rates, as 

 a readily available power resource, and for the 



