The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-11-15

The question Of irrigation IL one of vital
| imp rtancc to that great " West lying be.
tween the ninety ninth meridian aud the
Pacific. Upon it its agriculture depends.
With II ~ area Of lands sufficient 10 bread
America can be made available; without 1t
they IRE comparatively vAluclcss. And the
same waters in many localities will be avail
able i"',I, for mining and agriculture The
smaller streams are inadequate 10 general
system Of irrigation. Tie larger streams
can only be taken out nj vast outlay Ut
money. and the return would he slow. Cap
ital. therefore, undertakes it only in cxccp.
tional cases. while millions Of the best acres
lie untouched and unavailable The subject
of securing national legislation 10 encourage
general irrigation in this country has latter
! ~ attracted earnest attention. and last April
the Farmers Union Of Colorado gave pruc.
iicAl direction to the movement by appoint
ing committee 10 correspond with the
Govrrnors OF the different States and Ter.
ritOrics v ith view to holding convention
effort to bring it to the favorable c"nsi.lern-
tim OF Congress. The convention met in
Denver last month. A vast amount Of
valuable statistical information Was obtain.
"l. AMI an important movement made to
ward securing the benefits deemed requisite.
The following. from the New York 7imes,
October 20th. will convey al idea IT the
purposes AMI methods approved Ivy the
Convention. II is Of rs much interest to
M"n'anians as to the people of Colorado.
anil We trust the Legislature will give il
carnes, approval! The permanent "rs"niz..
ton was u. follows:
Trcsicnt-Gov. r. W. Furnas Of Ne
brmska
V.cc I',csilcnts- Gov. J. A. Campbell
aud Surveyor General Silas Reed. Of Wyo.
ming Surveyor General Pr"ulfit. Of New
Mexico; Gov Stafford. Of Arizona; Senator
John T. Jones. Of Nevada; Coy. J. A. Bur.
Moninna; Gov. Elbert, Of Colorado; A. =.
R"ckwood. Of Z oh, and w. L. Peacock, Of
Kansas.
During the first days session Gov Ebert
read paper on the importance Of a national
system ut irrigation, and closed Ivy prOpos.
ing nn act If Congress embracing the fol.
lowing features:
First-A grant to each State or Territory
Of one half Of the proceeds arising from the
sale Of MI arid lands reclaimed within its
borders.
Second-That all such lands shall remain
subject To the Presumption laws Of the Uni.
ted States at the rate Of 81 80 per acre.
Tlird-1hnt al such lands shall remain
S,llisct IN he tnsruf inn thu 1Ins,, afna Il
law Ut the United States. but in all cases Of
homestead entries the Territory shall be
compensated therefor at the rStc of 81 %
per acre out Of the proceeds arising from
the sale Of pre- empted lands.
Fourth-That the proceeds granted shall
he under the control Uf the Secretary of the
Interior. who shall account annually for tho
proceeds arising from the sales Of land as
aforesaid, and psy tho same over to the
proper Territorial officer.
Fitfh--Thst the construction and main .
,ennnce Of such canals shall he under the
exclusive control and direction Of the State
or Territory as sole owner thereof, under
>IclI laws. rules and regulations Ms the Leg
islAiuIe thereof shall from time 10 time pro
vide.
Sixth That the State or Territorial Leg.
islntu'e shall have IDwcr to make oil need.
full rules and regulations and take all nce.l
ful steps for the construction and maintc.
nance OF canals for irrigation.
Sevcn,l,-That the proceeds Ut said lands
granted shall bc kept ~ Al exclusive fund
by the Territory or State for the cOnstruc
ton and maintenance Of canals for irrigs
ton.
! In explanation snd support Of this meas
ure. Gov. Ebert s,ated that the sale Of land
would have I" DC anticipated, as they would
not sell until irrigated. This might b.
done Ivy issuing bonds. secured by the irri'
eating fund created by Congress. As soon
as canals were located and work commenc
ed. the al j.ccn, lands would be rapidly
taken up. These sales would create sink
ing fund, " inch would enable .i.., Territory
e.. ""nu"lly call IN some portion Of its bond
and cancel them The plan proposed keep
the control OF III: lands 10 the hands of IL,
Government. keeps them subject 10 tn,
operation "i the llomrstead and Prc.cmp
ton laws. keeps them at the maximum
price Of e 80 per acre. and keeps then
without the grasp Of monopolists.
The following memorial to Congress wa
presented, discussed aud unanimously adop
ted:
To tie Honorable tie Senate and Llouse o
Representatives Of tie CvnQress Of tie Uni
ted States IF america:
Your memOrialisis, citizens If the State
and Territories west Of the Missouri river
, would most respectfully represent:
That the portion Of the public domain
lying between the ninety ninth meridian q
longitude west from Greenwich, and tn
Pacific Ocean. IL arid and generally incapa
: bic Of cultivation except by means Of irri
CATION.
That this arid region embraces more thar
0ne.thir'i Of the geographical area Of tn
United States, or over loo, 900 sQuar
miles and comprises the Territories Of New
! Mexico, Ariz'no. Colorado. Wyoming
Utah. Idaho. and Montana. and the State o
p Nevada. and large partitions IF the States o
Texas, and Of tho Territories Of Washington
and Dakota.
That the soils Of this vast region are re
msrkHblc for their prOductiveness, whel
subjected 10 irrigable agriculture.
That the water supply vt its rivers ar,
smaller streams 10 abundant 10 reclaim mil
lions Of acres that now lie waste and unDro
r ductivc.
G That system of irrigation that will mec
- the wants Ut the country will I've too cxten
sive and costly for either individuals, pr
vatc corporations, Territorial or Stat
/ Governments to successfully construct
4 That the present agriculture of hi
:, region IL confined 10 the immediate valley
/. Of the water courses where irrigstipg canal
u are Of easy construction and cOmparatiycl
Inexpensive. and It will remain - confiue
10 these narrow limits unless some extensiv
system Of irrigation can be established.
Y That for these reasons vast areas of Ian
. will remain unsold by the Government ia
years 70 come, or perhaps for ever, unlea
they can be made available for the sgricu
i turslist by irrigation.
u That the public domain outside of thi
r region subject To the Homestead and Pr
e,nption laws, 10 comparatively exhausted
: and the tide Of immigration westward, On
;. nually increasing In volume, 10 unable
70 make available under these beneficent law
the millions Of acres Of rich land embrace
- In this region, by reason of the asidity q
the climate and their financial inability
construct extensive irrigs'ing canals.
That no interest 10 mOrs important TO th
n nation than tho development OF it, miner,
. resources. Thousands Of gold and silvs
lc mines xre now vnworked for lack Of wate
!, 10 drive machinery 10 crush the ore. Tn