The record-union., 1891-09-21
IRRIGATION.
The irrigation Congress Concludes Its
Session.
Some OF the Speeches and Resolutions
What the Congress Ac-
compIished.

CATION Congress at Salt Lake City, defin-
ing the policy it is believed should be
adopted by the nation concerning the
reclamation of arid lands. Some fuller
details of the last days proceedings Will
be found of interest and to make clearer
the spirit and purpose of the congress,
and to show the debate through which
conclusions were reached. We use the
report of the Salt Lake Tribune for our
purpose.
John p. Irish of California, Chairman
of the Committee on Resolutions, reported
these:
ResoEUed, That this congress is in favor of
granting in trust to the States and Territories
needful of irrigation, all lands now part OF
the public domain within such states ana
Territories excepting mineral lands, for the
purpose of developing irrigation TO render the
lands now arid fertile ana capable OF support
ing population.
ResolUed, That said grant of lands should be
made by the United States, so conditioned
that the State or Territory so receiving the
benefit shall use the funds derived rom the
sale or lease of such lands to promote the recla-
nation of arid lands any surplus remaining
10 be added to the school fund OF the state or
Territory in which such surplus occurs.
ResOIued, That the trust so created shall be
so conditioned as TO secure The ownership Oh
trrigable land to actual settlers in suitable
holdings.
The congress then went into Commit
tee of the Whole with Senator Stewart OF
Nevada in the chair, and VIM. III. Mills
of California, said:
1.-THE reclamation of the arid lands is
comprehensive subject, and one to
which the most careful consideration
should be given. The construction of
railroads, for instance, was one requiring
large capital. There is now conflict be-
tween these railroads and the people on
certain issues. These, or similar conflicts,
were liable to occur between the owners
of the land and the owners OF the water.
''There is a financial issue involved IN
this question of irrigation, and it is how
we can best get the water onto the lands,
and at the same time regulate 1t after 1t is
gotten there. Capital was fearful of put
ting its means in the development of
water systems as they were at present con-
stituted. AS each delegate was speaking of
his own State as an illustration, he would
take California. OF the millions of acres
cf arid lands which were valueleSS to the
State, and would be if ceded, unless the
forests. streams and grazing lands would
go with them as means OF preserving
the water sources.
''There is greater degree of aridity in
the West to-day than there was years ago
and it is because of the denuding of the
forests. 1t is important to preserve
every drop of moisture. Now as the
West is becoming more and more arid
under the policy pursued by the United
States Government, it is becoming de-
populated by increasing the number of
acres under cultivation. It was so of
Humboldt Valley. and if it is ever irri-
gated under present conditions it must
very soon get into private hands. Our
present conditions show that the States
are not to be trusted to control and adj
minister on their own lands, as witness
Il
And yet 1t would seem that If Wyoming
and Kansas and others We're fit to belong
to the sisterhood of States, they ought to
be fit to control the lands within them.
They Justly deserve the confidence OF the
general Government, and that they have
that confidence is assured.
1--WE must devise laws such as will pre-
serve the forest. Our present condition
shows that the States are not to be trusted
To control and administer corporations
from controlling the waters. Let us
place the funds from the sale of these
lands in the hands Of the people, and they
will have all that is necessary to promote
irrigation. / am in favor of the first reSo-
luton as read"
The speaker asserted that the granting
Of large tracts of land to individuals and
corporations had been blight on Cali
fornia. Why, even Delegate Green has
said that he had seen one ranch in his
State which required $50 cars to cart away
its wheat CROP while the children could
all ride on the cowcatcher. Green had
said at that time that he proposed to
change that and inaugurate system thai
would put the children in the freight cars
and the wheat on the cowcatcher.
And" added Mr.. Mills, ''in support of
this position, Green has gone and got mar
ried." [Roars Of laughter and bushes by
the Green family.l
The Utah delegation then moved TO
amend the first resolution by adding:
For the support of public schools and
for such other purposes as said States
and Territories shall respectively deter
mine."
Mr.. Irish opposed the amendment as
rider that would hamper the action of the
National Congress.
Mr. King of Utah supported and Mr..
Fish of California opposed the resolution
Mr.. Rogers of Colorado said: "It strikes
me that we are wasting time in the con-
sideration of general principles. When
the committee met TO consider the resolu-
tIOnS which had been adopted, the second
resolution included practically the mat
ter which is now asked to be added by
Mr.. Wright of California, and it was the
unanimous conviction of that committee
that it introduced details which should
not cucumber resolutions, simply declar-
ing the voice and sentiment of this con-
this section of the country. It was there
fore dropped upon concensus OF opin-
ion that the single purpose of this con-
vention was to appeal TO Congress in gen.
eral terms, asking for the donation of
the arid lands to assist in the further de-
velopment of irrigation projects in this
country. IL was not designed to enter
into the details whereby those projects
might be carried to a successful conclu-
sion. 1t was not designed that California
should press upon the convention the
particular means which it deems desira-
bic in aid of this result"
lie continued at length. urging that the
convention stick to general principles
and not descend into details
Mr.. Irish of California again defended
the report. The motion was adopted
Mr.. Wright of California spoke in sup
port of the second resolution as modified
by a substitute which he offered, provid-
ing that the grant of lands should be so
conditioned that the receipts from sales
should be paid into the treasures of the
States or Territories in which the lands
lie, TO the credit Of the arid land school
fund. That the money should be in
vested in municipal irrigation bonds,
or securities authorized by law, and in
such manner as the law may prescribe.
After debate upon it of nearly an
hour, the committee rose and reported
progress, and a special order was post
poned when the convention again went
into Committee of the Whole and the de-
bate was resumed, whereupon Mr.. Wright
withrew his substitute.
Mr.. King of Utah then moved an
amendment to the second resolution, pro-
viding that the grant should be con-
ditioned so that the receipts of sales of
lands should be first used to promote rec
ln R IN EA n