THE CONQUEST OF ARID AMERICA 



sense concern for the welfare of mankind may furnish 

 an impulse to such a work, as it has done for many 

 another business enterprise, such as life insurance, 

 building and loan associations, and workingmen's hotels. 

 But these enterprises rest on sound and enduring business 

 principles, or they could not long exist or widely extend. 

 We must find equally sound and enduring business prin- 

 ciples upon which to rest the idea of colonization by 

 means of co-operative capital, or it can contribute noth- 

 ing of value to the progress of civilization. 



In the seventeen western States and Territories there 

 are to-day eight million acres of fertile land lying under 

 completed irrigation systems. There are millions more 

 lying under half-finished works. They represent an un- 

 productive investment, counting interest charges, of two 

 hundred to three hundred million dollars. The chief 

 reasons for the fact that they are not utilized by those 

 who need them have been stated in the foregoing chap- 

 ter. Additional reasons are the unsatisfactory condi- 

 tion of water-rights in numerous instances, and the pop- 

 ular prejudice against arid lands. These lands have 

 every element of potential value. They have the pe- 

 culiar fertility arising from aridity, as described upon 

 scientific authority in an early chapter of this book. 

 They are fortunate alike in climate and in the surround- 

 ing resources of mine, forest, and grazing lands. They 

 represent the highest productive capacity upon the small- 

 est area, and are thus capable of sustaining the densest 

 agricultural population. All these conditions inako 

 these lands extremely valuable, but only in case the cap- 

 ital and labor be supplied to awaken their sleeping po- 

 tentialities. 





