Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-13

IN the possession of the general govern
ment, as FORESTS, and pasturage reser-
vations and catchment areas for the ir-
rigable lands, and it provides for the dis
posal of the irrigable lands TO homestead
settlers in tracts not greater than eighty
acres. Section of the bill attaches the
water rights to homesteads of the irrag-
able lands. Section 9 of the bill makes
it unlawful to construct unauthorized
irrigation works. Section 10 of the bill
provides in general terms plan for the
organization of irrigation districts. Sec
ton IL of the bill gives TO the commits
sioner of the irrigation districts the au-
thority to provide laws and rules for the
use of the waters belonging to the dis
tricts and for the protection and use of
the forests and the protection and use of
the pasturage. Section II of the bill
makes it lawful for the states and terri
tories to provide general legislation re-
lating to the use of the waters, the for
ests, and the pasturage, and provides
methods by which the capital for the
construction of irrigation works may be
obtained. Section 13 of the bill makes
it lawful for the stares to provide a
board of irrigation commission
srs to supervise and ap-
prove of the works authorized and
the contracts made by district COM
missioners. Section Il of the bill pro-
vides that cities and towns may be ex-
cluded from the irrigation districts, and
gives the states and territories authority
to designate the waters which such cities
and towns may use. Section 10 Of the
bill provides a method for obtaining the
consent of the states and territories to the
legislation proposed in the bill, and re-
fuses the rights and benefits otherwise
granted to any state or territory which
fails to give its consent.
80. The general effect of the bill Is to
turn over the control of irrigation to the
states and the districts, the general
statutes to be made by the states and the
specific rules by the districts. Therefore
It will accomplish local self-goveInment
in relation to irrigation and the
forest and pasturage administration. 1t
relieves the general government of all
subsequent legislative and adminlstra-
tive duties except only to complete the
irrigation survey of the whole and the
linear survey of the lrrigable lands, and
also to administer the homestead laws,
coal land laws, mining land laws, and
the townsite land laws through the gen.
eral land Office.
SO. The bill reported by the majority
of the committee is in the interest of the
great cattle companies that pasture
their animals on the public domain
and opposed to the interests of the farm
ers seeking homesteads on the lands.
Its effect is to give the companies access
with their animals to all natural waters
whether the same be running streams,
lakes, pools, ponds, springs, or other
surface bodies of water, or subteranean
streams. pools or undertiows produced
by natural seepage or drainage in dis
regard of the authority of the states.
1t is also IN the interest OF the great ir-
rigstion companies rapidly developing in
the West, turning over all water rights
for irritation TO them and practically
excluding the DOOR settler on
the land wishing TO obtain a
homestead. Therefore it is disap-
proved.
81. The erection of new bureau of
irrigation in the agricultural depart
ment is unnecessary and unwise;
therefore it is not recommended.
80. The director of the survey has ex-
pended portion Of the funds for neces-
ssry topographic work as part of the
irrigation survey. This Is strictly in
compliance with the statute. 1t is also
in compliance with the plan for the