974 



THE IKBIGATION AGE. 



Much has been done in recent years in 

 The Curbing t ] le direction of providing for equitable 

 of Express freight and passenger rates within the 



Companies United States, and many abuses and dis- 



N cessar criminations that formerly existed have 



been corrected. Although the railway com- 

 panies at the time the Interstate Commerce Commission was 

 first established raised fierce objections and predicted dire 

 results and panics due to the interference by the govern- 

 ment with the business of the common carriers, they have 

 finally submitted gracefully, and some of them admit even 

 that the Interstate Commerce Commission is really a blessing 

 in disguise. It is true that the Interstate Commerce Com- 

 mission, in conjunction with the different state railroad com- 

 missions, has brought the transportation business of the 

 United States nearly to the point where it ought to be. 



It seems almost inexplicable why Congress, when the 

 Interstate Commerce Commission was first established, did 

 not give it jurisdiction over the different express companies 

 as well. They are common carriers, just as much as the 

 railways, and yet they have been permitted to charge ex- 

 orbitant rates to the public year after year, long after the 

 railway companies had been compelled to make substantial 

 reductions in both freight and passenger rates. Not only 

 have these express companies enjoyed a very remunerative 

 monopoly, but they have very effectually blocked all legis- 

 lation for a parcels post conducted by the .United States 

 government. In most other civilized countries the general 

 government runs the parcels post as an adjunct to the mail 

 service, and express companies are entirely unknown quanti- 

 ties. The rates which are charged for the carrying and de- 

 livery of parcels are very moderate, in fact less than one- 

 fifth of the charges of express companies in the United 

 States. 



With these considerations it seems that the time for action 

 is ripe and there has now started an organized movement 

 toward the regulation of express companies. During the 

 recent convention of the National Association of Railway 

 Commissioners, held in Chicago, a committee was appointed 

 to study the problem. 



While it is a desirable step to have an adjustment of 

 express rates, the real solution will be the establishment of 

 a parcel department by the United States mail service. 

 When this is done there will not only be a large reduction 

 in the transportation charges, but it will bring the parcels 

 post directly in touch with everybody by means of letter 

 carriers and rural free delivery, while under the present 

 system people living remote from the railway stations not 

 only have to pay the heavy express charges to the nearest 

 railway station, but are also under the obligation and ad- 

 ditional expense of transporting their packages from the 

 express office to their homes. 



It certainly looks as though the time was ripe to re- 

 move the express companies from off the back of the com- 

 mon people and give them better service for smaller cost 

 either by a greatly modified express system or by the de- 

 velopment of a parcels post service. 



Everything in the realm of nature occurs according to 

 fixed and immutable laws; it is only our ignorance which 

 prevents our grasping such laws or their application. 

 * * * 



The "Primer of Hydraulics" will be the best book for 

 practical irrigationists and hydraulicians which has ever been 

 published ; it is intended for practical men who have no 

 special theoretical training. 



Elsewhere in this issue, under the caption 

 O f A Campaign of Instruction," appears 

 Reclamation an article giving information about a 

 Sentiment strong movement taking place of arousing 



Is Growine interest, in the lower Mississippi valley, 



in the direction of reclaiming swamp lands. 

 This specific movement is under the auspices of the Illinois 

 Central railway, although the United States government is also 

 interested, the Reclamation "Special" of the railway being 

 fitted up with facilities for lectures, which are given by 

 officials of the United States Reclamation Service and are 

 free. 



It is the intention of the management to distribute a large 

 amount of literature giving full information of the agri- 

 cultural benefits accruing through the reclamation of the 

 swamp lands of the South. 



Much has been done by private enterprise already, but 

 this is no more than a drop in the bucket and there are many 

 drainage problems along the Mississippi of such magnitude 

 that it requires the assistance of state and national gov- 

 ernments for their proper solution. There cannot be much 

 doubt that it will pay the government to undertake these 

 problems, as the drainage feature is a less difficult one to 

 accomplish than many of the irrigation projects which have 

 been successfully completed and there is no one who doubts 

 if the government once takes hold of it that it will carry 

 it through successfully. This has been shown to be a fact 

 in many and in great undertakings. 



Tt is claimed by some authorities whose 

 Water judgment commands respect that there are 



Waste now within the boundaries of the irrigated 



Is West about 700,000 acres of irrigated land 



Expensive that has become almost worthless on ac- 



count of seepage, or what is really the 

 same. thing, by having valuable water wasted until now the 

 whole land has become saturated and useless. 



This should prove a valuable lesson to irrigators every- 

 where as it shows that it is not only necessary to turn 

 the water on to the land, but that good judgment is also 

 required. It points out that as a general proposition land 

 must be protected from too much as well as from too little 

 water. Irrigation provides for the lack of water and drain- 

 age for the surplus. Thus the land which has been spoiled 

 by seepage can readily be reclaimed by drainage at a cost 

 per acre which will vary considerably according to circum- 

 stances. No general rule can be given for such drainage, 

 as each case must be investigated and treated on its own 

 merits. The thing must, however, be done either by ditches 

 or tiling or both, and if no natural drainage can be had 

 the water will have to be pumped. 



It is always well to consider the proposition of irrigat- 

 ing lower lying land when draining upland, in which case 

 the seepage water is being put to good use again. However, 

 the best way is to prevent seepage in the first place; this 

 can be done by having the main irrigation ditch lined with 

 waterproof material, and then apply the water to the land 

 in the proper proportion, just irrigating enough for the 

 crop in question. This will insure good crops and prevent 

 waste of water which may be applied for more land lower 

 down, and will result in general economy of operation. 



The time is at hand when more scientific methods must 

 be used in the cultivating, irrigating and draining of land 

 in order to obtain the best results. The wanton waste of 

 water should be avoided, and a popular campaign against 

 it should be inaugurated. 



A good deal of the trouble, however, is due to defective 



