Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-10-14

that these lands arc destined 90 become
the seat Of the highest civilization and
tue greaieet average property yut
developed on this Confident The
development Of thee lands can only be
successfully attained by national legis-
latiun. Tho laws now covering waters
and lands IN a number Of states and
territories are inadequate and danger.
Gus. Water Ia natural channels and
beds II not private property, and con
neither be bought nor sold.
The plat 0fm claims that streams
arising IN one state and flowing In
natural courses through une or moro
other states, must DO oquiiably divided
under equitable authority. The
policy Of forest aud storage reservation
covering the mountain water bnds, is
endorsed ns an act Of simple juttiCc,
aud 1t IL declared the government
should dev 60 a portion Of tile money
received from tile salo vi lau0H 10 for
agriculture 10 "a soicutiic Investigation
OF means Tor recln.mius lands.
l regard 10 arid lands, tho commit
tee recommends that a national cNccu-
tive mmitice, compose OF five COM
uuirut men from each state anu terri.
tUty IN the arid or suml.lfld fUEioa,
shall Vt once enter uplu careful
iuvts'ivaIiun OF the conditions existing
In each OF their states auu territories
aud formulate u plan looking 10 the
adoption OF national policy.
After speeches hvOriug the platform
the convention took a fecess.
At the afternoon session, Major
Powell, director ~ tue United States
geological survey, saii he was pro.
fIundly Impressed with tho wisdom,
vigor and lucidily Of the report, hut
there were questions therein Needing
discussion. rne major thea gave his
views Ia length, us ueduced from his
thirty ytars' work IN this connection.
He predicted that the nrquisiton Of
more lands from the government for
irrigation was simply piung up "a htrll-
age Vi conflict over water fights. Tue
people In tue valleys ought to own
anu control the lands aud water, ana
the government should give tht cot.
tleis titles 10 the catrhmcnt area on
which their lands depended.
There WIS vigorous dircukslOu At
this point, several oil the delegate pro-
testing against powell4 We've. Tue
malot raid the main point no wanted
n impress was that those owning LANDS
now should be protectoi Ia thcit water
rights.
Colonel Hinton OF Now Mexico
made m energetic talk, IA which lac
gave the government fcientilts a dig.
The platform was then taken up by
paragraphs and no, session followed.
Several delegates attacked Powell, Woo
arose anu said he wanted lar play.
iu had said that 100000, 900 acres oi
the public lands have passed from she
government 10 private ownership anu
there nrc millions Of acres moro that
can be irrigated, but there 10 not water
20 10 II with.
smythc OF Utah said II no meant
railroad lands they did not want ~
irfigntc them.
Hinton VI New Mexico said Powell
was making conflicting statements.
MulhOlland OF California said POwBl's
position favored getting back the land
railroad grants aud uovOling them 90
the use OF the people. Hinton said
Powell did not talk % thiH effect, ami
called Tor the official fecofde.
Great confusion ensucd aud the
wfanglo lnAied teveral hours.
Alter lengthy aud heated debate
action on the platform was deferred
until tomorrow.