| Show HOPE FOR IRRIGATION A T LEAST A STEP lie he Jie goal of national A t irrigation is I u expected fron from the present congress n fI Never have haw the advocates of ent T TecIa mation of arid aril western lands been BO so favorably situated sit situated as they are today President declaration declaration in favor of reservoirs re eno 18 and nd ennals to be constructed eo k from fm lr m the public treasury has given g the movement an im impetus i petus which should carry it a s considerable part of the joUrney jO Unfortunately there thEore are sze in congress many men whose geographical go research is limited to that portion of the country count west welt of the Missouri river What That is it even more unfortunate some of the western congress congre congressman s sn man nen n lit t ly those from the Pacific coast states are arc arcia taking ia so eo little interest in the subject that their iii iu flu nee is is almost against aga it This was true in the last congress co when the chairmen of o both house and aDd senate I committees on arid lauds 1 ud were Oregon men whose I every efforts to secure national legislation on the ques question ues tion was most perfunctory They Tho r were encouraged in their attitude by lack of presidential support and by united un opposition on the part of easterners men who h were willing to vote millions to dredge creeks in their own state but not nota a ceLt to the homebuilders of the west Many of these men will continue their opposition and anI the tight right which tho th have hare on their hands is by bT no means an easy one This year all westerners are alert and thoy will lose no opportunity of pressing their de demand mand maad Specific plan pIa have haft not nt yet been formulated but hut the tho ii on general lines lanes shows what the aims of I the are are tile the good ideas i suggested ar aro increased appropriations for investigations t ons and suneva several millions millioN of dollars to be ha expended in inthe inthe inthe the building of such reservoirs dams and aud am canals as have haft met or shall shan meet the approval of the geological survey SUI tn In its ita farther details the time plan paD contemplates ae res roe reservation i Oli of all public lands Iuds reclaimed by national irrigation gation atio to the government for the sole use u and benefit of actual settlers Surely in spite of the claims daims eJai of the rivers riven and harbors har c it is as legitimate to ex ox expend pend public moneys in iu this way as in using it to dredge creeks ami ati bayous in lime east and south The westerners hardly hope h pe to accomplish all an of off f their aims in this session but they do expect to get something Once Onee the opening wedge is driven home ones once tile the t eastern and end southern congressmen under understand tad stand that there is i a west and that it is a factor in inthe inthe inthe the government it will be easier to bring about abo ut fur further thor ther r forms in succeeding congresses It twin will not do 10 for Io each of the delegations from arid land t states t o at attempt attempt tempt to secure some special advantage e for its own state Such procedure pro would lead to and and would most in fit the tha of all Concerted action fj f fis f is needed d National Na ow reservoirs would benefit befit e De eUtah Utah would also abo bent bendIt Wyoming W Colorado and ana Idaho and ud vice flee versa verN The need for unanimous and aDd aDde earnest e work is perfectly apparent Let us Ui I ull U Uto 1 together to end nd the result will wiD happily surprise tito most flOt sup IM |
