546 CONSERVATION 



states and territories wherein the irri- The people of the West, therefore, 

 gation works are situated and is bound who are familiar with these wonderful 

 by these laws in respect to the appro- results in irrigation, are highly appreci- 

 priation and use of the waters therein, ative of the importance of the Recla- 

 The Government, as I have said, has mation Service, but the great difficulty 

 invested $50,000,000 in reclamation which that service encounters is in fin- 

 works, and by such investment has sue- ishing the projects now undertaken as 

 ceeded in irrigating over a million against the clamor for a diversion of 

 acres of arid lands ; and it may be like- the funds to new fields. In this respect 

 wise stated with fairness that more than the service has suffered in not carrying 

 $50,000,000 have been added to the to completion a less number of projects 

 value of these lands. With the addi- than it is now engaged in constructing. 

 tii nis which are contemplated in the I cannot conceive of anything which 

 completion of irrigation works now un- will contribute more to the permanent 

 der construction and those contem- wealth and prosperity of the reclama- 

 plated, the increase of values will more tion states and territories than the con- 

 than proportionately continue, and the tinned construction on the broadest 

 consummation of the revolving fund possible scale of irrigation works, 

 brought about by the return of the cost The danger, which the Government 

 of construction of present works will is undertaking to overcome, is the es- 

 enable the Government in the course of tablishment of small irrigation project^ 

 years, where feasible projects exist, to in localities where by such establish- 

 increase beyond calculation the wealth nient the larger opportunities are de- 

 of the irrigable regions and the con- stroyed, thus preventing enormous 

 tinual expansion of opportunities for areas of lands from ever acquiring the 

 settlement and for homes ; the end to be use of water. It is quite true that many 

 reached only when irrigable lands cease small projects capable of being financed 

 to be available. Lands that may be by men of limited means can be carved 

 considered under present methods non- out of larger possibilities, but to en- 

 irrigable, in the development of me- courage them means the loss of the 

 chanical and electrical capacity for rais- large possibilities. For lack of funds 

 ing water onto higher levels may be the Government is at present often re- 

 economically irrigable in years to come, quired to surrender possibilities in 

 so that no one can to-day define the water appropriation which means an 

 limits of possibility, as they are not enormous loss in future development of 

 the limits of conceivability. irrigation works, and I fear this is not 

 This fact has been well illustrated in fully appreciated. It is for this reason 

 the history of the public domain, as it that at times private enterprises are 

 has not been many years since the arid disposed to contend that the Govern- 

 and semi-arid lands of the West were ment is obstructing their interests, 

 considered worthless and denominated while from the larger view their in- 

 "desert lands." Thousands of acres of terests are obstructing greater possibili- 

 these lands, considered non-irrigable, ties for larger areas of irrigable land, 

 and valuable only for grazing, are now I may mention here what has frequently 

 being entered and utilized for dry occurred to me as a source of advan- 

 farming as authorized by the act of tage both to the states and the Federal 

 Congress known as the "enlarged Government, and that is the securing 

 homestead act." from the various states of uniform leg- 

 Any one who has visited one or more islation in the matter of the appropria- 

 of the reclamation projects now in op- tion of water and its beneficial use, and 

 e ration and sees, on the one hand, the also legislation looking to the control 

 desert covered with sage brush and bar- and conservation of all available water- 

 renness, and, on the other, the water power. 



Mowing over the fertile soil, producing This Congress could accomplish no 



heavy crops of grain, or orchards in greater work beyond the stimulation of 



fruit, appreciates to the fullest extent interest in the development of irrigation 



the benefits of irrigation. than to secure uniform water regula- 



