ATTITUDE OF THE ADMINISTRATION 



committed the Government to the great in small tracts capable of supporting a 



work of irrigating the arid lands, but family. It is is declared by the act 



it furnished an example and stimulant that only the cost of construction and 



to private capital and enterprise to en- maintenance shall be repaid to the Gov- 



ter upon this development wherever eminent. No consideration of profit or 



capital could be secured. direct advantage to the Government is 



While the Government has invested intended, and in this the statute does 

 over $50,000,000 in irrigation works, not trench upon the. rights of private 

 many times that amount has been in- enterprise, particularly so long as the 

 vested since the passage of the Reclama- reclamation of public land is the main 

 tion Act by private enterprise, and it is object of the Government. The law is 

 safe to say that a large portion of these a beneficent one ; it is another evidence 

 private investments have resulted from of the broad and liberal policy which 

 governmental example and encourage- has ever actuated our National Gov- 

 ment ; and let me say here that it has eminent in the disposition of its public 

 not been and is not the policy of the lands. It differs, however, from the 

 National Government in the administra- simple homestead law in that it holds 

 tion of this act to hinder or interfere out inducements only to men of suffi- 

 with the investment of private capital cient industry and capacity to carry the 

 in the construction of irrigation works, added burdens of construction, main- 

 hut rather to lend it encouragement, tenance, and operation, which is the 

 This is particularly true in reference to cost of the lands. While it is possible 

 irrigation under the Carey act in the that persons of limited means may suc- 

 various states. I am not a believer in cessfully enter and acquire irrigated 

 the Government entering into compe- lands, it will generally be found that 

 tition with legitimate private enter- it is not a poor man's proposition, un- 

 prise. Its functions under the Reclama- less coupled with intelligent industry in 

 tion Act are not of this character, and agriculture. 



I am sure that when private enterprise The whole scheme of the act is based 



has done what it can there will still be upon the appropriation of the proceeds 



thousands upon thousands of acres of of the sales of public lands in certain 



public lands reclaimable only by Gov- states and territories for the construc- 



ernment aid. The western states should, tion of irrigation works for the rec- 



therefore, be very jealous of the per- lamation of arid and semi-arid lands 



petuity of the reclamation fund and of therein. No further appropriation by 



its constant increase. the Government is intended, or can bo 



The purpose of the Reclamation Act inferred from the act, and the responsi- 

 is to undertake the irrigation of arid bility for the disbursement of the funds 

 and semi-arid lands where a consider- and the construction of the works is 

 able portion thereof belongs to the pub- placed upon the Secretary of the Inte- 

 lic domain, and by the installation of rior. It must be recognized that the 

 the storage and diversion of available Government is acting in the nature of 

 waters to irrigate the largest possible a trustee for the people in the dis- 

 area within a given territory at the bursement of this fund ; that it must 

 least cost to the entrymen and land- construct the works for the settlers and 

 owners for construction, maintenance, turn them over at cost, and has no 

 and operation, always keeping in view right to recklessly or improvidently 

 the matter of the settlement of these waste the fund ; that cost means the 

 lands and rendering them capable of cost which is incurred in the exercise 

 supporting the greatest number of fam- of common business prudence, and this 

 ilies. While it is a reclamation act, it is likewise true of the expense of main- 

 is also a settlement act, and the pub- tenance and operation, 

 lie lands which are proposed to be irri- It is also the declared purpose of this 

 gated by means of the contemplated law that the Secretary of the Interior 

 works have been rendered subject to in carrying out its provisions shall pro- 

 entry only under the homestead laws ceed in conformity with the laws of the 



