Tombstone daily epitaph., 1889-08-29
THOSE of our Territorial contempo-

purpose Of deciding what is and what
 Is not irrigable land, seem to misappre-
 hend the exact nature of the law un-
 der which tine Director is acting. As long ago as January l2th the ETiTAPH
 called attention to the provisions of
 the law, which, if carried out as
 planned by Major Powell, would re-
 suit in incalculable damage to not only Arizona, but every section of the Ie-
 zion 10 which il might he applied
 The circular of the Commissioner O. l the Land Office, to which attention
 was called in a recent issue, iS a just | statement of the provisions Oi the law. | By the terms of the act apnropfia;ing | the money for he hvd-oerapnic sur | vey all land pronounced i:Ii@.lle hy ! the survey is by Una, decision ,mnedi- l ately withdrawn from public settle ment. and will remain so until iuT,her legislation by Cong g-css, to be based upon the work and recommendation of the United states Geological sur vev. The act, as passed bv Congress, does not contemplate he expenditure of any part of the arrropia in works ot constICc ion nor Is l. prabJ-
  ble that snv appropriation wil he made for that purpose, nor i- j. 70 he desired that there should iC such sC- ton on the part oi Con res. Govern ment aid Is foo likely io cause an i'm
 mense amount ui mi-ch.et. II granted with the u-ual u,ifntei' gent provisions and Tcstric ions. W hal is needed i- d remodeling oi the land laws making them applicable to tne a.it sIons c. the Wes,-to that por lp1 Ot tue United State where irs,- -l'ivn IS eSclu- sively the method oi farming. The following Is au extract rom sn eaij"- rial in the EPITAFH c, January r. D.:
 For some time past the mem pc : of Congress. the ma'oii of woon me from the Eastern and Sou he D S,at"s. where irrigation never h1s been herd of CT under ersiuoi, have been bothered by applications for 2i"aS ol puhlic land for irl gi.ion reservoirs ahI ditches. and not comnTehending the nature of the so-cal.ed ard regions Q
 the West. have been at loss .o know what 70 do or how to dea! with tne problem which seemed so obscure. Consulting the Director of the United Slates Geological survey, who uude stands the subject thoroughly, and acting upon his advice. Conue>, passed a bill approprialing $lUpoO for the purpose of making preliminary ny drographic survey oi the ard reciou of the West. By the terms oi this aci all land pronounced irrigable bv ;lt survey Is by hat decision Immedla ,els withdrawn iIom pubilc settlement an, will remain SO until further legi-.a ion by Congress, based upon tne work and recommendation ol tine United State' Geological Survey. This IS not in tended to interlrte T-i h vested righ! ; all such being recognized. Even resi- dence on unsurvevcI land will be rec ognized as inchoa t iiiiv ii tbe Occu patton was begun pI.cr 10 he passage of this act. The act as passed by Con gress does not contemplate the eXpend iture of any part oI the appropriation in works of construction. nor Is l probable that any apr,Op' .Ons 10 such purpose vii be made by Con eress. The principal, ii not the oni' object of the present survey Is 10 S!N' Congress basis Vppn which 3 toim ulate intelligent legislation in Iegar, 10 public lands, tine uniqre characte of which the present land laws ol th' United States neither recognize no provide for A remodelng of inc lan' laws is wha. is needed, and ,his act i
 the beginning of legislation for tha purpose. In the prosecution of Uni design there are many difficulties t' surmount. The terms Of the act aI range for photographic survey I'm course already uliued by Major Pow ell indicates his in an ion to make complete su -yey before doing anythini in regard 70 the further provisions 0 the act-tne withdrawal ol irrisabl districts from entry. But to cOmpict & topographic and hydrC1raphic SUI yay will take several wears, and in Jh
 meanwhile the country Is filing III with great rapidity; there is a deman' for lands for set lemen;. and he ped pIe of the West will not consent f' tbe indefinite sequestTailon such course demands. They will take mai ters into their own hands and arrsng then, by a process of na.U7a! selec iOI years before hydrographlc surye
 could be finished. With the informs ton at hand Congress can at one
 pass the requisite laws, and | govern ...ent aid is possibility oi the iutGT it can be based on perfect surve. As the matter stands now all Tiparial rights should be swept away as pfinci pies not applicable to this country