The record-union., 1893-10-14
IRRIGATION CONVENTION.
The Committee on Platform Pre-
sents a Lengthy Report.
RECEIVED BY DELEGATES WTTH
VOCIFEROUS APPLAUSE
The Report Advocates Legislation
Looking to a National Commission
to Thoroughly Investigate the SUBJ
5ect of Arid Lands and Water Rights
Need of State Supervision of Local
Districts.
Special to the RrcoRp-uN1oN.
Districts.

! platform to Congress. 1t was read by eX-
Governor Lionel Sheldon and was re-
ceived with vociferous applause. Earnest
attention is given to the situation. The
scenes recently enacted in the Cherokee
strip is reminder that the pressure of
the surplus population still seeks an out
let West; that it has practically reached
the limit Of settlement in that portion OF
the public domain whore the rainfall Is
sufficient to support agriculture. The
existing social industrial conditions of
the great cities east of the Middle West
remind us of the alarming increase OF the
class of homeless people within the
borders of the United States, and to pro-
vide further field for colonization under
conditions which promise good average
prosperity of the individual citizen, by
the utilization of the great public estate
still remaining in the hands of the Gov
ernment, is, in our judgment, a work
which must now appeal with irresistible
force to American craftsmanship.
The lands belonging to the United
States, most part arid and semi-arid, lie
between the y7th meridian of the Pacific
Ocean, and are divided between seven
teen States and Territories. This domain
is estimated by the General Land Office
to contain 542, 100000 acres, enough arabic
land to provide homes and farms for
million of people. The portion which
can never be cultivated is valuable for
range purposes or for forest reservations.
Notwithstanding the present condition
of these arid lands, we confidently pre-
| diet that they will become the seat of the
highest civilization and the greatest aver
age prosperity yet developed on this con-
tinent.
The platform then goes on to state that
| the best results can only be attained by
national legislation. The laws now gov
erning the waters and lands in number
Of States and Territories are inadequate
and dangerous. Streams are appropriated
under lax and contiscating State laws,
and the absorption of interstate waters
promises to become the fruitful source of
| future litigation and social disturbance.
The desert land law, under whose oper-
ations the public land is passing away
from the people, is largely perverted
from its original purpose. 1t offers the
settler land upon terms with which he
cannot ordinarily comply except by re-
sorting to perjury. The law has become
! in its execution the instrument of corpo-
rations who acquire land for 81 25 per
acre, reclaim it at average cost OF IS 10 per
acre and sell it back again to the people
upon profitable terms named only by
themselves.
We declare that water in the natural
! channels and beds is not private prop
erty, and that it can neither be bought
nor sold. Companies for supplying and
| distributing water are common carriers,
| subject to the supervision and control of
| the power from which they derive their
rights. We declare that all streams ris-
| ing in one State and flowing by natural
courses through one or more other States
| IL hi n SlaJ
under Federal authority. Nothing must
be allowed to jeopardize interstate
streams. 1t is highly important that
drainage areas of streams should be
promptly known and defined at once in
a way sufficient for the purpose here in
view and not await slow results of thor
ough and technical inquiry. which latter
NAV follow IN its train and for its needed
purposes.
The pastoral lands, especially within
these drainage areas, should also in our
Judgment be reserved for the present
from sale or permanent disposal.
The whole subject of national legisla-
ton should be Investigated by Federal
authority, and as means to this end we
suggest the appointment of non-parti-
san national commission, to be named at
once and instructed to report as soon as
possible.
The importance of the development of
local laws to control waters lying wholly
within the individual States constitute
the reasons for the early admission of
Territories into the Union.
The platform favors the limitation of
the amount of land that may be taken up
by settlers under systems of irrigation to
forty acres, and predicts that in the
future it will be found desirable to reduce
the amount still further, and especially
urges the importance OF an enlightened
policy for the care and preservation of
forests against waDton destruction by
fire or otherwise.
We indorse the policy of the forest and
storage reservations covering the mount
ain watersheds OF the West. Sums
amounting to millions in the aggregate
have been paid the Government tor lands
of the semi-arid region which are under
stood to be fit for agriculture without
irrigation, The experience of years, dur
ing which settlers and families have suf-
fered the severest hardships, demon
strates they can only be made productive
by the artificial application of water. 1t
is an act of simple justice to ask the
Government to devote a portion OF the
money received from the sale of these
lands to scientific investigation of the
means for reclamation, from surface
streams, storm waters and underground
supplies. We earnestly urge the speedy
In regard to the arid lands the follow
ing plan is recommended There shall
be appointed by the National Executive
Committee of the Irrigation Congress q
commission for each State and Territory
in the arid or semi-arid regions, consist
ing of five members each, who shall be
competent and experienced men. These
commissions shall at once enter upon a
careful investigation of the conditions
existing in each of their States or Terri
tories, and then formulate plans looking
to the adoption of national policy, to be
supplemented by appropriate local laws.
The results of the investigations OF the
several commissions shall be submitted
to the next Irrigation Congress, and upon
these reports the final and definite dec
larations of the people of the Western
States and Territories may be based.
The platform indorses the Wright law.
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 experience has
demonstrated its usefulness, its fairness
and its economy. The need of the State
supervision of local districts is, however,
apparent, and States that may hereafter
adopt it should provide for this important
feature.
The right of the condemnation of pri-
vate works in their requirement by the
people on the payment of just compensa-
ton, ascertained by fair aDpraisement, is
heartily indorsed and it is recommended
to be adopted by all the States.
We advise all States in the arid region
to make provision for departments of ir-
rigation, supervision and engineering,