The Policy Of America Development West Irrigation Evolvement

The thesis has made a systematic investigation on the evolvement ofAmerica development west irrigation policy between 1865 and 1902.It has three chapters:Chapter one disserts on the policy of the period 1865 to 1902. The policy in this period was a Laissez-faire policy. Federation didn't give aid directly to west development irrigation. Congress made many land acts to stimulate private enterprise construction irrigation engineering .The land speculation which caused by the federal public land policy was the main driving force that promoted west irrigation development.Chapter two studies the course that Laissez-faire transformed into National Interference. The farmer movement, drought and economic crisis of 1890s made the Laissez-faire policy meeting with greatness challenge So that it plunged in bankruptcy. In such circumstances, the policy began to change. This change materialize in Carey Act and Newlands Act, namely National Land Reclamation Act. Through Carey Act, congress granted to the west States and Territories the rights to irrigate the Federal public land and dispose it to settlers. However, West States and Territories incapability to construct irrigation projects. Practice indicated that only Federal Government has ability to construct irrigation engineering. With the support of the President Theodore Roosevelt, the National Land Reclamation Act which introduced by Representatives Francis G. Newlands passed in congress in 1902.This Act symbolizes a new era in the west irrigation development. The Act regulated that all moneys received from the sale and disposal of public lands in the arid and semid arid States and Territories shall all be reserved and set aside for the creation of a fund, to be known as the "arid land reclamation fund"; Federal Government in charge of the fund and uses it for the construction of reservoirs and other hydraulic works for the storage and diversion of water for the irrigation and reclamation of arid land. This Act also is the sign that the National Inference policy of West irrigation formation.Chapter three analyses the reasons which impel federal laissez-faire to turn into National Inference policy .In general, the decline of American Laissez-faire at the end of nineteenth century, conservation movement and the dream that Progressionist searching for rebuilding Safety valve of West are the reasons The National Reference policy not only exert a great influence on west conservation and deep economic exploitation, but also on the administration power of federal government expansion.In conclusion, the Laissez-faire transformed into National Interference policy with a long period .Seen from the point of view of the development of whole American national inference policy , the National Land Reclamation Act only is the starting that Federal Government Control and management west irrigation.