| Show I NOT SECTIONAL QUESTION i I PROF MEADE TALKS ON SUBJECT SUB-JECT OF IRRIGATION 1 It Has Redeemed a Large Area In I j j L I I Teas and Louisiana and Enhanced 1 f Price of Land < II I I < 1 Washington June 12ProC Meadd f I I the Agricultural deportment expert I continued his testimony before the Industrial commIssion today He said that irrigation is necessary In two firths of tho area of the United States to make farming profitable To those I inclined to consider it a sectional question ques-tion he would say that irrigation withIn with-in the past few years had redeemed an > aTea in Louisiana and Texas larger I than some New England States causing caus-ing an Increase t in the value of the land from 5 to from 50 to 100 an acre uln seven States and two Territories Irrigated agriculture Is the chief resource re-source said Prof Mead The cities of Denver Salt Lake Los Angeles and many other towns lesser sle and importance l are as much the creation of Irrigation as the orchards and fields which surround them Without the winter forage which is grown in the Irrigated valleys of the immense stock ranges of the West the suffering and IOSSCB of range cattle and sheep would be very disastrous Owing to the lack of accurate records In many States or any records whatever what-ever we do not know or cannot know the number ot mileage of Irrigation ditches and canals or the area which they water It is known that there aro over 10000 ditches and canals In Colorado Col-orado and about 6000 in WyOming There are more than 75000 In the United States In the construction of these there has been expended not less than 200000000 and over 500000000 has been expended In the construction of ditches and laterals and III prepar InS land for the distribution of water without taking Into account the fences and habitation necessary for the cultivation cul-tivation of this land In the afternoon Mr Thomas Turn bull representing the San Francisco Chhmber of Commerce testified concerning con-cerning labor conditions in California Ho said that generally speaking skilled labor receives better wages In California than in the Eastern States where there Is no similar difference In the wages of unskilled labor lie expressed tho opinion that thc cheapness cheap-ness of Chinese labor Is due almost entirely to the Inefficiency of the Chi nose os laborers Speakingof the Chinese Chi-nese he said the sentiment In California Califor-nia was generally favorable to their proscription as they were not desira ble acquisitions from any point of view i |
