278 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION. 



July, 



majority by which it finally passed re- 

 flects great credit on those members who 

 were in charge of it. Mr. Mondell, of 

 Wyoming, who was leader of the forces 

 on the floor of the House, and Mr, 

 Reeder, of Kansas, for effective work 

 in committee, deserve special credit. 

 Representative Francis G. Newlands, 

 of Nevada, who has long been work- 

 ing for the passage of such a measure, 

 again did effective work. Representa- 

 tive Tongue, of Oregon, as chairman 

 of the committee, and Representative 

 Sutherland, of Utah, were also promi- 

 nently identified with the bill. 



During the month that has intervened 

 since the passage of the Irrigation Bill 

 there has been an opportunity to learn 

 the opinion of the country at large, as 

 expressed by the press. 



Naturally the papers of the West are 

 practical!}' unanimous in expressing 

 their approval of the action of Congress. 

 In the East, where the only real oppo- 

 sition to the bill was manifested, it is 

 noticeable that a number of the most 

 influential papers speak in very favor- 

 able terms of the bill. The attitude of 

 the eastern press, just as in the cases of 

 many members of Congress from the 

 same section, has experienced a very 

 noticeable change as the purposes and 

 scope of national irrigation have become 

 more full}' understood. 



The Boston Herald' s approval of the 

 Irrigation Bill is testified to in the ac- 

 compan5ang cartoon, which is reprinted 

 from its pages. The Scientific American 

 speaks of it as " one of the best meas- 

 ures that has become a law in the be- 

 ginning of this twentieth century." 

 The New York Couimercial considers it 

 "President Roosevelt's triumph," while 

 T/ie Times of the same city says : ' ' The 

 country is to be congratulated," and 

 speaks of the opposition to the irriga- 

 tion law on the ground that it will de- 

 velop hurtful competition against east- 

 ern farmers as the ' ' cry of all who are 

 afraid of a fair field and of progress. ' ' 

 The New York Commercial Advertiser, 

 the Syracuse Post-Standard, The Press 

 and The Inquirer of Philadelphia ap- 

 prove of the bill's passage. 



Among the Chicago papers the Inter- 

 Ocean says : ' ' The Irrigation Bill is 

 likely to pass into history as the wisest 



legislation of the present Congress." 

 The Record- Herald comments as follows : 

 ' ' It would be difficult to conceive of a 

 more practicable and economical scheme 

 for extending government aid to irriga- 

 tion than the plan embodied in this 

 measure." The y(?//r;^a/ believes "the 

 bill is a wise one, and will meet with the 

 approval of the people everywhere." 

 The Jackson, Mich., Patriot says that 

 ' ' nothing Congress has done at its 

 present session is of greater importance 

 than the passage of the Irrigation Bill. ' ' 

 The Cincinnati Commercial- Tribune 

 points to the passage of the Irrigation 

 Bill ' ' as strong evidence that broader 

 views are being entertained, and that 

 even Congressmen are beginning to un- 

 derstand that what enures to the benefit 

 of one section enures to the benefit of 

 all." The Louisville, Ky., Comniercial 

 says : ' ' Every intelligent business man 

 will approve of this great work, which 

 was proposed by President Roosevelt in 

 his first message to Congress." The 

 Birmingham, Ala., Age-Herald speaks 

 of the Irrigation Bill " as a very im- 

 portant and far-reaching law," while 

 the Duluth, M\\\Xi., Neivs-Tribunesdcys : 

 " It is gratif3'ing to know that so great 

 and necessary a work is to be begun at 

 last." 



The passage of the Irrigation Bill is 

 bound to arouse interest in forestry 

 throughout the West. To reclaim the 

 arid lands b}' means of irrigation de- 

 pends in a great measure upon the pro- 

 tection of the forests along the head- 

 waters of the streams. They serve to 

 break the force of the rain and regulate 

 the run-off, and thus minimize the dam- 

 age to reservoirs from silt. About the 

 headwaters of many streams, the waters 

 of which will now be utilized, the gov- 

 ernment has established forest reserves, 

 whose importance in the irrigation 

 movement cannot be easily overesti- 

 mated. The success of a number of 

 important irrigation projects will depend 

 on the administration of the forest re- 

 serves. With the beginning of national 

 irrigation these reserves assume a new 

 and greater importance, and it is impera- 

 tive that they receive the best technical 

 administration obtainable. In the recla- 

 mation of the arid region forestry and 

 irrigation must go hand in hand. 



