The state herald., 1891-09-25
THE IRRIGATION CONGRESS.
The Possibilities Of the Arid Regions
Discussed at Salt Lake.


time ago by Governor Thomas. Sixteen
states and territories are represented. On
the 10th the convention got down to bus
iness by the election Of the following
officers: President c. G, Wright Of Cali
fornia; secretary, Frank X. Gillespie Of
Utah. The vice.presidents are: Colorado,
Piatt Rogers; California, John P. Irish;
Idaho, A. w Hagar; Kansas, J. W. Greg
ory; Montana, A. G. Bodkln; Nebraska
James b. Stevenson; Nevada, Francis G.
Newland; New Mexico, VIII H. Pooro;
Oregon, J. W. Johnson; Toxas, Morgan
Jones; Utah, G. C. Goodwin.
| Tho session was devoted to the consid-
Grafton of the report OF the committee on
resolutions submitted by Colonel John P
Irish, chairman of the committee:
Resolpcd, That the committee on reso-
lutions recommend to the convention the
discussion Of the following topics:
/. Should Congress donate lands out
right to the states and territoriesi
| .. Should Congress instead make grants
| In trusti
8. Should such donation or grant in
trust be of the arid lands only or include
the entire public domain included within
the States or Territories to be benefited,
or should it be limited to the number OF
acres, or both or eitheri
4. Upon what condition and with what
restrictions should grant in trust bo
| madei
8. What may be imposed upon the
States and Territories benefited in the
iorm OF federal action to compel the pro
servation of water courses by protecting
| tho forest which guard themi
6. Instead of such grant or donation Of
lands, is 1t advisable that the federal gov
ernment should retain the public domain
and itself enter upon the reclamation of
arid landa and their transfer to actual
| settlers,
Its submission caused q debate, but no
action was taken.
Resolutions providing for the issue Of
bonds by the government in the sum of
siiO, 900, to be expended in solving the
irrigation problem, were laid over for
future reference.
The afternoon was devoted to speech
resolutions offered In regard to the propo
sition of public lands, tho Hon. c. C.
Goodwin of Utah, Senator Warren Of
Wyoming, and U. II. Mills and John p.
Irish of California carrying OF the ora
torical honors.
The resolutions were finally laid over
and will give way TO General Greeley's
report on arid lands of the West
When the congress assembled Thursday
morning 1t went into committee of the
whole and asked for report Of the com.
mittec on resolutions. That committee
reported three resolutions. The entire
morning hour was consumed In the debate
OF these and in offering amendments
They were finally adopted almost in the
shf pc they were originally read, and they
were reported to the congress. Under a
general consideration OF the resolutions,
the convention, having risen from the com.
mittee OF the whole, struck out two of the
resolutions and adopted the following, as
covering all OF the subject desirablei
"ResolUed, That this congress is In fa
vor Of granting In trust TO the states and
territories neeiful OF irrigation, all lands
now part of the public domain within
such states and territories, excepting
lands, Tor tue purpose OF developing irri-
CATION 10 render the lands now arid, fertile
and capable Of supporting population
Upon the request of the Kansas delega-
,ion the following was also adopted:
"Resolrcd, That 1t is Justly due to Mon
tana, the Dakotas, Wyoming, Nebraska,
Kansas and Oklahoma, who have paid in
TO the United States millions OF dollars in
the purchase OF those lands and have ex
pended other millions In fruitlcss attempts
10 farm them without irrigation, that
portion Of the funds SO paid be expended
TO secure to such lands the benefit of irri.
CATION"
As a committee TO carry out the action
OF the congress and prepare mcmoria,
TO Congress, the convention appointed the
following: G. c. Wright Of California,
Platt Rogers OF Colorado, A. ID. Foote of
Idaho, A. w. Stubbs OF Kansas, &c
Bo,kin of OF Montana, John Abbott o
Nebraska, $. ID. Hewinrcr OF New Mexi.
co. J. II. Hamilton OF Oregon, Walter
Gresham of Texas, J. II Bailey Of South
Dakota, w. IL. King Of Utah, Frank Bond
OF fWyoming and c. W. Irish OF Nevada.
Tho executive committee consists of
Isaac Trumers OF California, A. w.
Hager OF Idaho, S. W. Gregory OF Kansas,
w. A. Clarke OF Montana, James Stephen
son of Nebraska, W. II. Poole Of New
Mexico. J. b. Huntington OF Oregon, III.
Bailey Of South Dakota, Monigan Jones
of Texas. Edward T.. Meade OF Wyoming.
Francis G. Newland OF Nevada, W. A.
Smyther OF Utah,
The next place Of meeting will be desig.
mated By call from the executive com.
mi,tee.
This concluded the practical business
for which the convention was called. and
after resolutions had been introduced CT
pressivc OF the appreciation OF tho mem.
bers OF the convention for courtesies 70.
ceivcd Mt the hands OF Governor Thomas,
the mayor OF the city, the officers Of the
congress, the railroads, c,c., the conyen.
ton adjourned Us mentioned.
Al tho meeting OF the executive com.
mi,,co tonight Governor Arthur l..
Thomas was made permanent president
aud William l.. Smytho OF Utah partna.
mont secretary. II was voted that tho
committee act conjoin,ly with tho memo
rial committee In presenting the petition
TO Congress and that states and terrific.
rles not represented be hllod by the gov.
ernors OF those states. Remarks were
made on the plan OF campaign and the
policy 10 be adopted.
England Wants tho Sandwich Islands.
A Washington dispatch says Senior
Cclso Col,ar Moreno, u well known
Italian American residing hero and act