THB.IRBIGATION AGE. 



have weathered these revolutionary changes with- 

 out a trace of panicky feeling. The effort in con- 

 gress and out of it to create the impression, for 

 partisan purposes, that the country is on the verge 

 of a panic found no general response from the busi- 

 ness interests, and proved futile. There has been 

 a very noticeable slowing down in all the industries 

 throughout the country, and there are more idle 

 men in every state than there were at this time last 

 year. But this would have been the case if neither 

 of the important measures referred to had been 

 passed, or if there had been no change of adminis- 

 tration at Washington. 



The fact is that we are entering upon a period 

 of adjustment which prudent men two or three 

 years ago foresaw must come inevitably before 

 long. The high cost of living is but a phase or 

 symptom of social and economic conditions that the 

 rather extravagant pace at which the people have 

 traveled for ten years has produced. An adjusting 

 time was due. It had to come. It has come, and 

 the country is meeting it sanely and calmly. 



We shall all be the better for the adjustment, 

 and though the process may chafe us a little we 

 may cheer ourselves the while with the thought that 

 we are ministering to the world's betterment. The 

 world is growing better. Business is conducted 

 upon a sounder basis than ever before. Men and 

 women place a higher value upon life, and are seek- 

 ing more and more to cultivate those finer human 

 relations which alone make life worth the living. 

 And so we may start the year with abundance of 

 good cheer, and with increased faith and courage. 



Mr. Edward Bohm, a student of con- 

 Bohm ditions surrounding irrigation de- 



On velopment in the United States, pre- 



Irrigation sents his views in this issue, under 



Situation the heading, "The Truth About the 



Irrigation Situation." In this article 

 Mr. Bohm offers pointed suggestions and asks 

 questions which show him to be generally familiar 

 with his subject. 



As stated in previous issues, THE IRRIGATION 

 AGE has much confidence in the opinions of this 

 gentleman, and while the publisher agrees with his 

 various attitudes on important questions, he is in- 

 clined to the belief that Mr. Bohm may now and 

 then become over pessimistic, or in other words, 

 attempt to convince his readers that irrigation af- 

 fairs generally are going to the everlasting "bow- 

 wows." 



^ 



The latter position is surely not true, as our 

 various sources of information lead us to the 

 opinion that this industry is in much better condi- 

 tion than ever before : this is particularly true con- 



cerning work of this character in such states as 

 Kansas, Utah, Montana, Oregon and Washington. 

 California has also made rapid strides in opening 

 up new projects, each one having the appearance 

 of a well planned and strongly financed organi- 

 zation. 



It is safe to say that the drouth in Kansas in 

 1913, while disastrous to many, will result in won- 

 derful development in the form of irrigation from 

 wells which will tap the underflow ; there will no 

 doubt be a marked increase in acreage under cul- 

 tivation by this system during 1914, and this will 

 continue so long as the great underground stream 

 which, while slow, is distinct in its flow may be 

 profitably lifted to the surface. 



If the movement started in Kansas is carried 

 on, it will result in the reclamation of thousands 

 of acres for which water could not have been ob- 

 tained through any other means, and it will, more- 

 over, do much to increase crops perhaps double 

 them in territory where small crops have been 

 the rule, where farmers have heretofore depended 

 on the clouds for their supply. 



Taken all in all, it is the impression of the 

 writer that irrigation is again becoming a live sub- 

 ject, and the most gratifying feature of this new 

 movement is the absence of wildcat schemes, and 

 the tendency of capital to reenter the field. 



So far as our information goes no well founded 

 project is begging for money for its completion, as 

 was the case a few years ago. 



The new Public Utilities Commis- 

 Illinois' sion of Illinois entered upon its 



New duties January 1st, this year. This 



Rate commission, which has a different 



Commission name, is very similar in its purpose 



and similar in the character of the 

 duties which the law imposes upon it, to the Wis- 

 consin Railroad Commission. The latter was cre- 

 ated in 1905, specifically as a railroad rate com- 

 mission, but two years later its jurisdiction was 

 enlarged to cover all forms of public utilities oper- 

 ating in the state, whether privately or municipally 

 owned. This body now has under regulation nearly 

 1,200 corporations serving the public in one capacity 

 or another. As the new Illinois law covers nearly 

 the same field as the Wisconsin law, and the effect 

 of its administration by the new commission will 

 doubtless be similar, it will interest the readers of 

 THE IRRIGATION AGE to learn something about what 

 the Wisconsin law has done and is doing 



As already stated, the Wisconsin commission 

 has direct supervision over about 1,200 corpora- 

 tions, including telephone, telegraph, gas, electric 

 light, water supply, heat, power, street and inter- 



