| Show r I 7 i M M I M M 1 M M 1 I M I M I t M M H 4 H 6 M t M I M I I I M I ITHE i 1 THE HE IRRIGATION MOVEMENT III H 4 I 4 s- s 4 Commission Comm in The United States Irrigation its final report has recommended that Congress enact laws to provi provide e for national nation l control of sources of water sUI supply ply upon which two or more States State may depend for fOl irrigation for further fu surveys of arid alid lands Jor r the construction of storage reservoirs reser reser- volts volt's vo rs and and irrigation works by b which to utilize the Water cater supply of the arid regions to the greatest I possible extent and for beginning ginning b the construction tion o of d o oh one or 01 more lArge reservoirs or diversion works The argument ar of ot the report based on a most thorough thorough thorough thor thor- ough and conscientious study of the subject in gen gen- generals gen gen- and particulars and backed by a mass of facts and data ought to convince the most prejudiced ed Senator or Representative that the irrigation of our Western arid lands in which sixteen States and Territories ies are vitally interested is not only a de- de deJ desirable de de- J le thing in ju the abstract but a wise public policy and an imperative duty as s a It concrete 1 si koi on It t will astonish many many of our own people not notto to speak of Europeans to know that forty per pel percent pery y cent ent ent of the total super superficial area of the United proper r requires irrigation for successfully producing plants useful as a food supply for forman man and ah animals 1 all all this inconceivably vast and potentially fertile stretch of the national domain to be bo forever let lef in iI tl the tle e condition of a desert The Senators of of twenty six States of the Union ar are arc reported as m st st. standing solidly for the reclamation of these arid h And j the President in his first Message to toCo Co Congress gre s strongly favored ored action in the premises premise j i aggregation of influence places the movement i l. l h. 1 better tt r condition than it ever has occupied be be- Irrigation has been agitated for more mat than tl an I v t tp twenty 1 Y j years s als but fiut until quite recently it has hal not notI I ath attracted Gt l. l either r favorable or serious lS attention at atI I I Now there is reason to hope it has which will it along on the theroa 1 received ved an impetus push m I v roa to l ultimate success I as ns repeatedly we have remarked it is no rn macadamized road toad shaded by umbrageous trees mid and hedged with roses that the managers I and fri friends ls 1 of the he movement are traveling over in the to win their goal There is still bitter S ti q l to irrigation by bv the time Federal government lelit in inS S some if if not many of the time eastern States St tes and this It notwithstanding tan ing the demonstration which has been s1 l made that the total cost of the tile work will be fully I ar i returned to the Treasury through the theof sale ale of lands and v ater ri rights lightS Yet there times are arC Q ob objectors rs and able and powerful ones in the time Senate who even evem carry prejudice and jealousy so o far that they they- are arc likely to antagonize the time admission of Arizona New Kew Mexico and Oklahoma as States because be- be cau cause e that would would- involve the seating of six new members of the Senate all sure to be earnest and amid advocates of irrigation All ll the he same the ice has bas been broken In the end the good sense and love of justice inherent in iii inthe the American people as a l. l whole will come to the ther r rue rescue cue of the time West Vest and our desert places one day wilt will astonish the world with their products an and support millions of the nati nations nation's ms m's hardy hard sons and their theil families in comfort and pl riff plenty 7 |
