The morning call., 1893-10-15
THE PLATFORM IS ADOPTED.
A Solid Endorsement of the
Wright Law.
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP ADVOCATED.
The Promoter of Resolution Urging
a State Division Unceremoni-
ously Sat Upon.

Los ANGELES, Oct. 14.-The Interna
tional Irritation Congress has completed
It's labor and adjourned for one year. 1t:
last act was the selection of an executive
committee, composed of one delegate from
each of the arid districts in States and
Territories and two delegates at large.
The date and place of the next assem-
blage OF the congress will be selected by
this executive committee.
The congress has been success. and lis
deliberations have been watched with the
utmost interest. From the fact that the
financial depression prevented many States
from sending full delegations, those who
had been most sangulne of this congress
were inclined at first to underrate its
meaning and Importance. These and all
others have been agreeably surprised. In
numerical strength the congress was not
weak, and the intelligent manner in which
its members handled the questions that
came before il was sufficient evidence OF
technical knowledge and parliamentary
ability. The discussions of the body have
been conducted in a broad and liberal
spirit. and no germane question that came
or uncertainty.
For the ultimate reclamation of the arid
regions of America, the deliberations Of
this body mean vastly more than would
appear on a surface view. Judge Emery
of Kansas, who has so ably welded the
gavel during the convention. said to THE
CALL correspondent at the close of the
congress that In his belief "the net upsho OF
of the assemblage is that it will result in
the unifcatioD of the ideas of the various
inha abitants of arid America upon the
points of asking the General Government
to do what ought to be done Tor the rec
lamation of the arid lands. Other con-
crosses like this will follow. and in the i'm
minent future the whole OF arid America
will be agreed upon the propositions to be
put to the Government for its action. And
when this is once accomplished. the irriga-
ton of these vast acres will follow speed
ily."
The chief thing done by the congress in
its closing sessions this morning and
afternoon was the final passage of i.s
platform or address 70 the public. The
document as amended and passed reads
substantially as that published in The
CALL, and the alterations made are only
those predicted. The most important
change is that referring to natural lakes
or bodies Of flowing water. The para
graph finally adopted on this question reads
as follows:
"We declare it to be the correct prin-
ciple that water in natural channels and
beds is public property and wheu, under
Nf,o L.
been secured thereto, such rights. like all
other private property, may be supervised
for beneficial purposes and be condemned
for public uses under the exercise of the
power of eminent domain"
Quite lengthy debate preceded the
adoption of this section. and its opponents
fought their way sturdily on the plea that
its terse wording would tend to frighten
capital from irrigation bonds. Neverthe-
less when il came to q vote only two dele
gates answered nay, while SO votes were
recorded in its favor. The section refer
ring TO State legislation, as finally amended
and adopted, reads as follows: "We in
dorse the principle of the district irrigation
Law of California, commonly known as the
Wright law as wise step in the direc-
ton Of the public ownership Of irrigation
works. While we do not assert that it is
suited to the needs of unsettled localities.
or that it cannot be improved in some of
its minor details, we do declare that expe-
rience has demonstrated its usefulness, its
fairness and its economy, and recommend
that it be adopted by all States where pri-
vate irrigation works covering land not a
part of the public domain may exist"
With these two changes the platform of
the Intern ational Irrigation Congress is
precisely as priD ted in full In THE CALL
One of the most important resolutions
reported by the committee and adopted by
the congress reads as follows:
Resolved, That this congress urgently re-
quests the Advancement on the calendar of the
United States Supreme Court for Immediate
Nearing the case OF William Treges (plaintiff In
erroD VS.. the Modesto Irrigation District (de-
fendant in erroD for the following reasons: :
Irrigation bonds have been issued by districts
organized under the Wright law of California
about SIS, ,000,0 900 in amount OF which await
purchasers, the sale of which will be greatly
facilitated by decision of said cause Great
systems of works have been commenced, the
completion OF which will be greatly retarded
until the questions involved in said cause shall
have been determined. the delay in determining
which In the regular course OF procedure will
result in great and irreparable loss and hard
ship TO the many and extensive localities
affected.
Resotved, That certified copy OF this resolu-
tion be sent TO the clerk OF the United States
Supreme Court with the request that the same
be filed with the papers in the cause.