The herald., 1893-10-14
THE PIrH OF rHR ADDRESS.

Elsewhere we publish the full text o
the address OF the irrigation congress
which, in Its essence, we give below
That body, it is expected, will adopt i
today. We have been at pains to epito
mize it, and it's leading features are al
follows:
Public lands are defined as those
which belong to the people of the United
States, which are for the most part arid
or semi-arid. requiring the artificial
application Of water to render them pro-
ductive. This domain, divided between
seventeen states and territories, is esti-
mated by the general land Office to con-
tain 542 100000 acres.
The progress 30 far made in the recla-
nation of arid lands has been along the
line of local effort and individual enter
prise. Nevertheless the problem of con-
quering those deserts is essentially
natural.
The laws governing waters and lands
in number of states and territories
are inadequate and dangerous. Streams
are appropriated under lax and conflict.
ing state laws and the absorption OF in
terstate waters promises to become the
fruitful source OF future litigation and
social disturbances.
The desert land law, under whose op.
erations the public land is passing
away from the people, is largely per-
verted from its original purpose, offer.
ing to the settler land upon terms with
which he cannot ordinarily comply.
The law has become in it's execution the
instrument of corporations, who &C.
quire land for S1.25 per acre, reclaim 1t
at cost OF IS to SIS per acre and cell it
upon terms named by themselves.
National legislation is needed to de-
wise laws to assist reclamation. recog-
nizing alike public and private inter
ests, giving due recognition to the
rights of the states and nation respect.
lively. Nothing should be allowed to
ieopardise the interstate streams, the
drainage areas of which should be
promptly defined and known. Pastoral
lands should also be reserved, especially
within these drainage areas, from sale
or disposal, the net results for leasing
the same for ranch purposes should be
used for developing possible water
supply to the end that stock farms and
homes may be created thereon.
The whole subject o! national legisla.
tion should be Investigated by federal
authority, and the appointment of a
non-partissn national commission, to be
named at once, is advocated as a means
towards this end.
The Importance of the development OF
local laws and the control OF waters
lying within the individual states con-
stitute reasons for the early admission
oi the territories into the union.
The limitation of land taken up by
settlers is favored under systems of irri-
CATION to forty acres, which has become
necessary with increase of population,
and rendering difficult the requirement
OF lands for speculative purposes.
The growing Importance OF storage
problems demand rigid national and
state supervision.
An enlightened policy for the care
and preservation OF forests against wan
ton destruction by fire and otherwise is
advocated.
The congress indorses the pAicy OF
forest and storage reservations covering
the mountain watersheds OF the west,
and sets forth the Importance of due
care and protection OF the watersheds
to maintain the perennial flow OF
streams and springs AID to prevent
hoode, and demands the establishment
~i wise forestry system.
The work of developing an arid land
policy on broad national and state lines
can no longer be delayed. The plans
suggested for the solution are legion.
There spall be appointed by the ma