Show IRRIGATION N AS AN ISSUE The Heralds special telegraphic re report report report port of the proceedings of k the Trans congress which is much more complete then the general generl report sent out shows that a a resolution favor favoring favoring favoring ing reclamation of o the arid aid lands of the west by y the government was vas adopted I ITher There Ther was 0 no more mor timely dis discussed di discussed cussed In tho th congress There is no cusse conge matter of greater geter Importance to the people of tho the west wrt barring the finan financial cial ca question queston than that of Irrigation There is ia a difference of opinion be between tween those who ho recognize the te absolute necessity of ot Irrigation to make our bar barren barren barren ren lands productive and ad habitable All Al concede the th necessity of getting water out upon these thee lands lad All Al agree agee that the thC future of f the west and southwest depends very ver largely upon early action acton In this direction before syndicate con eon control tol of ot the ranges renders the project more moe difficult from year to year But there is a division as a to the best meth methods methods methods to obtain the desired result resul o G 0 i iThe 0 5 The state discouraged no doubt by frequent failures to enlist the interest or secure the assistance of the general ge government contend conten for ces cession cessIon cession sion by the nation naton to the states state of all allarid al alarid allarid arid lands that the states state may under undertake undertake undertake take the work of reclamation and reap the harvest t of their labors laor National hold that the states are not nt financially able to carry carryon carr on a work of such magnitude that hat there would be a a woeful woul lack of ot uni uniformity in th development of the arid ard and semiarid region wherefore the thebe best be Interests Inte of the west and of the te nation demand that the work be done by the te federal fedel government t tI If I our O congress could ever be brought to see the necessity and un understand the tho Importance of this under undertaking unde undertaking taking it i would be be far better beter to make malte it a a national enterprise If I the govern governors ors ore oJ and legislators of the he west wot i were to take this matter up in earnest e nest and to tomake tomake make It i the first frt order of business upon all aU occasions where legislation leg laten and n pub public public lic lc policies DoUch are discussed there would be no 0 question about securing the need needed nee needed ed assistance a e The right way wy woy to reclaim rec lm this vast area of arid aId country to make mae It I bios blos blossom blo earn som somas as the he rose to transform tr it I Into a ahome ahome home for people Is ig to t have havea ve vea a a systematic interstate Irrigation i scheme that rivers dver passing through dif different dt different i ferent states or crossing crossin state lines I may not be utilized altogether for the I Ib benefit b eft of one section at tt it the expense expense of ot I another S c s S I t vt n n mo M ATI het c 1 adapted to the need nce a of the west Wet may maybe my maybe t be outlined b ly as a a follows I The general genera government should by bythe bythe bythe the construction of federal federl reservoirs conserve the flood fo d and and waste wate water where whee it Is wanted and can cn be utilized this will wi not only save the people of the th upland valleys and the te plains plans from but will iJ save the people peole and ad the farms of the lowlands from floods fod and freshets which destroy millions milon of dollars dolas worth wort of property every eve year yer Such a system will wl prove a double blessing giving plenty to land lad that is barren baen now and ad saving from destruction destruction tion ton crops that are ae now submerged If I water that tat is sweeping life Ufe and ad property to the gulf gU this thi spring have been kept in New Mexico and an western wester Texas by by a reservoir r system what a difference it would make in the agricultural product of this this one section I for a single season seaon And what a change it i would effect In the whole future of the he region The Te agricultural wealth of the west would soon equal eual that tat of the east if water could be made to follow the he furrow upon every irrigable qua of public land now lying idle west of the Mississippi Mi ippi The Increase of productiveness would have to be reckoned by the Ithe billion and ad the returns of the venture would reimburse the na so national tonal treasury within ten years year from the te time the te reclamation was wa put into motion moton S S 0 S SIn In the te language of a South Dakotan delegate to the Houston congress every ever true westerner should exclaim Inu In u name I ask ak why as a a 3 nation naton do we neglect these theBe opportunities with within withIn withIn in our home borders border and waste our sub sube substance stance in the conquest of far off pos possessions sessions of doubtful utility Nor do these possibilities extend eten no further than the field feld of agriculture a They are endless In their extent and diversity divert Manufacturing industries of I every variety would spring up all al over the he west The demand for our coal and andron andIron andIron Iron ron and lead and coper copper would In Increase increase crease each year Railroad mileage would quadruple in n every e decade The commercial importance of the Pacific coast coat would soon sn equal eual that of the At t The he east would no longer loger die dic dictate tate ate to the west wet The arid region would become one one of the richest and most In Inviting inviting beneath the sun The Te nation will wi achieve greatness g by b improving its is wn land and rather than ta by conquering other lands ands lad by discharging its is obligation to the territory over ov r which It has as already expanded without going into the Orient Orent to assume new obligations towards strange stange peoples and a d discharging im imaginary imaginary aginar duties dutes while actual and un unquestioned questioned obligations remain neg n g I |