IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS. 423 



encourage investment in irrigation enterprises. An agent of the 

 Department is now in Egypt studying the legal systems in vogue 

 there. 



ORGANIZATION OF IRRIGATION INDUSTRIES. 



Not less important than the system of irrigation laws is the character 

 of the organizations which control the water supply under these laws. 

 Irrigation is essentially a cooperative industry. In its beginning small 

 ditches were sometimes constructed by individual farmers, but oppor- 

 tunities for such construction are practically all utilized. The large 

 canal covering the lands of many farmers is in most remaining cases 

 the only possible one; hence the existence of the industry calls for 

 organization and cooperation, and in most cases not only cooperation 

 of farmers but of capitalists as well. The problem to be solved here 

 is how to secure returns upon the capital invested and at the same 

 time keep the land and water within the reach of the poor man, the 

 only man who is seeking for a new home. This problem has not been 

 solved in this country. It is one which must be solved before irriga- 

 tion can go much further. 



Under the laws of many States water rights are granted to the canal 

 companies. In those States the rights of the farmers depend on the 

 form of the organization of these companies rather than on the laws. 

 The reports of this Office show that the peace and prosperity of many 

 communities, as well as the economy with which water is used, depend 

 almost wholly on the rights of the individuals under the companies. 

 This study- of organization and its effect on development is being car- 

 ried on wherever the measurements of water have been made. 



In this connection it seems proper to reiterate the views expressed in 

 a former report on the subject of water rights. The first step in 

 future development should be to reach an enlightened agreement 

 regarding the true character of these rights. The idea of private 

 ownership in water apart from land can not prevail without creating 

 institutions essentially feudal in character. To give to companies or 

 individuals the control of streams, and make the farmers who use those 

 streams dependent for their rights on the conditions which these com- 

 panies impose in private contracts, is to make the water company the 

 practical owner of the land it serves and the irrigator and farmer a 

 tenant. A proposition which would contemplate turning over all the 

 land of the West to private monopolies and making those who have 

 homes upon it dependent upon these monopolies would not command 

 popular support, but the idea of private ownership in water, amount- 

 ing to a virtual monopoly of this vital element, has been permitted to 

 grow up in some sections of the West. To a certain extent it has 

 obtained recognition in legislation and protection in judicial decrees 

 and decisions. Such a doctrine meets with no favor in other irrigated 



