Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-03-09
ARID LANDS RILL IN CONGRESS.

ARID LANDS BiLL IN CONGRESS.
A BILL for the II exclamation Of the arid
lands OF the United States was Intro.
ducod by Hon. 4. w. T. Lanham Of
Texas In the House OF Representatives
and referred TO the committee on Irri.
CATION OF Arid Lands. That commit.
tee agreed to report :avorably on the
bill III. Il. 6IeO), 30 that II will be
placed on Its passage. The text OF 1t
IL ~ follows;
"Whefoas the proper Irrigation and re.
clamaiion OF that portion OF the public
domain Of the United States known US
tho arid regions, and lying west OF the
nineiy-soventh meridian Of longitude,
present many dlnlcult questions relating
70 the location and d,markation " catch.
mont areas and bislns, tho construction
Of reservoirs for the storing NJ storm and
other waters, aud tho equitable distribute
ton to the greatest advantage Of such
waters for agricultural purposes. which
difficulties can only be surmountod by
laws, rulos, and regulation, made by
those who arc host acquainted with aud
most Interested In the problems to bo
solved, mud who, rs they arc TO receive
the greatest direct bcnohts, ought In
| equity aud Justice 10 deirny tho vast OK
| pundllure- OF money necessary and
requisite to tho improvement, Fcclima-
! ton, and settlement OF such Of said lands
a- can DO reclaimedi Now, therefore, In
order To turn over aud romit 10 the
/ peoples Of the states and Territories in
which such arid lands are situate all quo--
lions relating TO he irrigation Of tho
same, aud To save further expenditure II
the moneys Of the United States thereon,
lio II ennciod by the Senate and House
/ Of Representatives NJ the United States Of
America, In Congress assembled, That,
subject 10 all rights, inchonto or perfected
thereto, sll tho lands OF whatever nature
or description and rights thereto, in.
cluding waor rights, now belonging or
appertalning to tho United States, lying
and being situated In the States oi Nc.
braska, Nevada. South Dakota, North
Dakota, Montana, Washington, ore
gon, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado.
Kansas, and California, and in
the Territories of New Mexico, Arizona,
oklahoma, and Utah, seycrally, with
| full and complete jurisdiction thcrooycr,
be. and aro hereby. granted, coded aud
confirmed to said several States and Ter
| riiorics, tho grant 10 each Of SAID States
and Territories to be Of tho lands con.
tanned within It's present boundaries and
| territorial limits. And tho President Of
tho United States shall issue letters patent
for the same 10 the said several Sintesand
Territories In this section Designated
whenever and as any Of said States and
Territories shall byan act OF lts leglsla-
ture accept the disposition Of the lands as
herein provided, within tho time herein.
aftor specified, This act shall In no man.
nor affect any OF tho lands hold by the
United sato- Tor parks, naval, military
or other public purposes, nor any Indian
lands, nor lands held In trust for or Tor
use by Indians, nor mineral lands, nor
shall Ii apply In any manner to the Tori.
tory Of ALASKA.
"Scciion .. That tho governors Of
the Territories Of Utah, Arizona,
oklahoma, aud New Mexico shall,
within reasonable time afior tho
passage OF this act, call special sessions,
n need be, Of their several legislatures to
take into consideration and pass upon the
provisions of this act and the questions
herein submitted to them, aud may from
time TO tiuo call such other session. u
their respective legislatures as may be
rendered necessary, and the benefits Of
this act shall not accrue to any State or
Territory which shall not hayo accepted
the provisions thereof within four years
from IL approval.
"sec. %, That ~ soon ~ practicable
anor the issuance OF letters patent to any
state or Territory herein mentioned, Tor
the lands therein situate, and from time
10 time Thereafter rs occasion may
require, Il shall be the duty Of
the Secretary Of tho Interior, at tho ex-
ponse Of the United States, to cause 10
be- delivered To the proper authorities Of
such slate or Territory all maps, records,
books, and papers, or certified copies
thereot,in case IL may bo necessary to ra-
tain the originals In the General Land
ufloe, which may be necessary to such
state or Territory for tho proper control
administration, and disposition Of such
lands
"Soc, I, Tina, no state or Territory 90.
Gepting the cosslpn of lands as heron