The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-09-17
THE IRRIGATION CONGRESS

SALT LAKECTTY, Sept. 16-Today's ses-
sion Of the irrigation congress was de-
voted to the consideration OF the report of
the committee on resolutions, submitted
by Chairman Irish of California. 1t rec
commended to the convention the discus
sion of the following questions: Should
congress donate the lands outright TO the
states and territories? Should congress
instead make grants in trusts? Should
such donations or grants in trust be OF
arid lands only, or include entire the pub
lie domain within the states and ter
ritories to be benefitted9 or should it
be limited to the nuhb of acres or
both? Upon what conditions and with
what restrictions SHOULD 3 grant IN trust
be made9 What may be imposed upon
the states and territories benefited IN the
form of federal action to compel the pres
ervation of Water sources by protecting
the forests which guard them? Instead
of such grant or donation of land IL Is adj
visable that the federal government retain
the public domain and itself enter upon
the work Of reclamation of arid lands, land
then transfer to actual settlers?
The congress went into committee ofthe
whole, with Senator Stewart of Nevada in
the chair
Francis G. Newlands of Nevada, in a
speech, said that the time is now ripe for
action by the nation and by the states
throughout their legislatures. The first
essential thing is the control of the land
itself. The people can do nothing until
they receive an unlimited grant OF all arid
lands within this region, or a grant sufti-
cient in quantity to justify the state in
undertaking the work, or, under careful
restrictions, entrusting it to individual or
corporations. The United States ought to
make grants in the arid regions with the
view of developing the school interests.
= r.
gress without conditions, as he debated
the ability of congress to prescribe those
conditions. A sentiment should be
aroused in both parties looking to favor
able consideration of such matters. Mr..
Newlands closed with the assertion that
greater men lived in the west than in the
east, and urged the nomination of west
ern man for president.
At the afternoon session there were vari-
Gus resolutions offered regarding the dis
position of the public lands, and a number
of speeches made Judge G. c. Goodwin
of the Tribune, Senator Warren of Wyom-
ing, w. II. Mills and John p. Irish, were
the chief orators,
Mr.. Irish did not favor ceding any land
10 the states and territories by the nation
al government, bnt suggested that the
various state governments assume the re
lation of trustor and trustee, adopting a
plan similar to that of Illinois in the days
OF Stephen A. Douglas and later
in other states. The question he said,
was one of population. Induce congress
to pass laws that will bring people to the
west and the demads made will be such
thst soon every available piece of arid
land will be occupied. Mr.. Irish contend
ed that by asking congress to deed the
lands to the states aud territories in trust,
the people of the east would be satisfied.
There would be no grounds for believing
anything crooked, and no opening for
stump oratory IN the east about land
steals
The report of the committee on resolu-
tions was laid over until tomorrow.