The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1890-08-02
ARID LAND LAWS.
Eastern Oregon Seriously Affected by
the Existing So-Called Irriga-
tiOn Measure.
Fr ON the Oregonian ]


From the oregonian
UNITED STATES SENATE, WASHINGTON,
July all have read the editorial in the
Oregonian OF the 10Th inst, under the head
| of ''Irriga5le Lands"
Evidently all the facts In the case were
not before the writer of the article.
Western senators, notably Senator Sttw
art, procured the Inauguration of a scheme
Tor the examination of the water supply
OF the arid regions for irrigation purposes,
and the segregation and reservation of
sites for reservoirs, etc.
In the sundry civil appropriation bill,
approved October 2, 1888, an appropria
ton was made for the work to be carried ON
under Major Powell, and provision was
inserted IN the bill, while iu conference,
in substance Withdrawing all sites fm
reservoirs, and all lands which would bc
rendered lrngable by the construction OF
them.
The provision was said to have been
drafted by Major Powell. 1t is safe to
say that not more than two or three sena
tors outs de of the members at the Con-
ference committee on the appropr:atinD
bili knew oi the provision at the time.
and even they did not understand liz
scope aud effect. l never learned of It's
existence until some two or :hr,e months
ago, although | was member OF the
committee on pub ic lands and Chairman
OF subcommittee having charge of the
bills proposing changes in the genera
land laws, and | am told that the conf
missioner of the general land offite did
not know of its existence until nearly
yea- after it had become IA law. 1t has
been construed by the attorney general
and secretary of the interior as Withdraw
ing all irrigable lands uf all the aid
region from the operation of the land laws
without any acti"n of the department,
and it is held by the deuartmcnt, that.
a. the irIigablc lands cannot br seure-
gated from the arable lands without a
survey, the operation o. the general aud
laws in all the ard region is suspended,
not only as 10 irrIgabie lands, but as {"
arabic lands. timber lands, etc
This region as marked ou> by Mrj ,r
Powell and adopted ter the action of ,nc
interior department, is SUBSTANTIAL
bounded on the north by the Dominion
OF Canada; on the south by Mexico; Oh
the east by line drawn nearly ihrougn
the middle of North and South Dakota,
Nebraska, Kansas and Texas; and ON the
west through Oregon and Washington by
the Cascade mountains; and through the
upper part of California by the Sierra
Nevada mountains to about the latitude
of Santa Cruz. from which point the Pa
chic ocean is the boundary, he,ng tract /
of land containing approximately two.
titths OF the area OF tile United States.
All of Oregon east of the Cascade mount
aims Is included in it. In all that region |
action upon all claims under the land |
laws upon which patent has not issued |
has, or will be suspended. All settle
ments under the land laws since October
9, 1888, are held to be invalid. Anv
person who goes upon the public land is,
under the construction placed upon the
act. trespasssr. In other words, it is
he'd that there is no law in force by which
citizen can secure title to a tract of
land within this region, and there will
not be without further legislation until
the Powell survey Is completed, which
may take anywhere from ten to twenty
years, is estimated by him to cost $5,OOO.-
600, but which is more likely 10 cost ten
times that amount, and which, when
done, it Is believed by people having
practical knowledge of the matter, will
be of no actual benefit to settlers; and
the railroads and wagon road companies,
and large land holders who have already
secured title to large tracts of land. in
the meantime will have the monopoly of
the sales of lands.
The settlement and development of all
the vast region will be suspended, and the
tide of immigration as soon as the situa-
tion becomes generally understood, will
be stopped and turned to Texas, where
The state owns vast tracts of public lands
which are not effected by the a. t OF 1888
1t Is In this provision. virtually re
pealing all the land laws as to all OF East
ern OregOn, snd as to whole states and
territories, that the Western senators,
with one accord. have sought to have re.
oealed, except so far as it relates to sites
or reservoirs, a provision which, If con
inued in force, would destroy the prosper
ty of the region, aud benefit only land
,rant companies and land monopoists.
The exigency of the case requires an
immediate repeal of this provision, which
vas smuggled through congress, and that
ny necessary legislation for the mndif.
alton OF the general land laws may he
ad in the ordinary manner, with due 4
and wheE had may be the
esult of the aggregated wisdom of
majority Of both branches of congress.
You will see. therefore. that you were
'lde the mark In stating that it was the
'lthdrawal of reservoir sites upon which
Western senators were making war.
heir proposition does not include the re.
cal OF the provision for 'he withdrawal
such sites. 1t Is the withdrawal of all
ublic lands in whole states and terri.
'ries which they object TO. They are =
ghting for the interests of the settlers d,
this region, as against sentiment d.
ronger than one should imagine could
favor of the withdrawal of the
nblic domain in the West for settlement,
I'd its preservation for future genera Is
ons, for the purpose of compelling the fir
ttlement of less desirable lands further L.
81, ana preventing the further compe- 81
Ion of western products with the prod "
It's of the east he
A total OF $350,000 has already been :,
pended under the geological survey for D. D.
location OF reservoirs, ETC., used for
biographical surveys, and making maps, al,
d $750,000 more for the current year -.
IS appropriated as the bill came from re,
3 house. ;r
Believing that Major Powell's plan is W
lravagant and practically vaiueless, ap
western delegations in congress we're
favor of cutting off this appropriation.
] having what is further done in The I
tier d ne under the secretary of agri- Z
fure. They believe that more prac- In
al results will be obtained by such a \
lrse. j. N. DoLPH. \