The herald., 1893-10-12

mess, but as a matter OF real interest.
| 'The Rio Grande and Rio Colorado
are two rivers that bound our country.
The arid lands lie close to ours, and in
that direction any steps that can be
taken in the reclamation of arid lands
touch us as we'll.
: "The United States has thought it
| proper to call attention to the fact, and
has suggested the appointing of con-
vention which will fix the terms upon
which the waters of these two rivers
will be used by both republics.
This matter will be discussed by
gentlemen appointed for the purpose.
1t 10 not my business to discuss it here
just to suggest the fact.
Therefore, / will hold myself in
readiness during my present stay to give
you any information you may require
from me and to listen to the remarkable
work done by your government for the
reclamation OF your arid lands and for
the progress OF your splendid agricul-
ture." [Applause.l
PRACTICAL IRRIGATION.
The Hon. John p. Irish then read q
chapter The Need of Unity OF Action on
the Part of the Practical Irrigators OF
the Arid Regions and the Necessity for
Compilation and Publishing OF the
Methods Of Irrigation and Cultivation OF
the Crops Raised by Them in the Arid
Regions, by Charles M. Irish, chief of
the irrigation bureau department OF
agriculture Washington, D. O., and was
the most important paper 80 far heard,
and was in substance as follows:
A study of the laws on irrigation en-
acted bv states within the limits of the
arid regions brings out the fact there is
little sympathy or concert OF action
amongsthem. By this want of uniformity
the various state courts have been led
into tangle OF decisions useless to all
concerned. This want of uniformity has
also cost the people of irrigation dis
tricts large Gums of money and will con-
time severe tax on their industry
unless it be corrected by wise Iegislation,
whereby the right to use the water
intending uses. He who irrigates land
for the purpose of raising cropn must
have ss clear right and title to the water
as he has to the land which he irrigates.
Without this ownership there can be no
value to the lands and property invested
in the business. There should be no
state ownership in the water any
more than in the air, and the
title to the land and water should be 30
merged that the two should be insep-
arabic. Such ownership of water should
be exempt from taxation; the laws
should also provide an easy way for de-
signing the right of way for all irrigation
works and canals. The minimum
amount of water to each piece of land
should be determined by statute. Ex-
perience shows that canal should be
able to carry one cubic foot per second
for each 56 acres to be irrigated, or three
cubic feet for each quarter section or IL
cubic feet for each square mile.
Another matter which should be set
at rest by law lie the measurement of
water. There are few contrivances
which will measure flowing water with
the accuracy commercially required.
There are none which will mathemati-
caily divide flowing water. We then
should be content with the simplest
contrivsnce which will do this work
within reasonable bounds of exactness.
The amount OF water needed by man
or set of men for irrigation purposes
should be left 10 the judgment OF those
who use the water for none else are so
qualified to Judge.
1t is thought by many that engineers
are able to judge OF this quantity. This
is great mistake for the engineer goes
by formule, not Of his origination. 1t
is not his province to say how much
shall be used in any given case for that
is O knowledge gained only by an
every day practice in the field; it
is matter of life experience
and cannot be reduced to rule or formu-
la. The law should leave all matters OF
this kind to be settled by the farmers
themselves, SO that decision reached
by arbitration should be final and bind
ing; and all water rights acquired and
settled should be made a matter OF rec
ord, as are the deeds to the land irri-
gated.
The reforms and requirements to give
stability to real property in irrigation
districts cannot be attained until the
people act together for the purpose.
Another very important matter is the
ueed of reliable information on the re-
suits of irrigation and it's cost.
20 much has been printed of late re-
gardipg the construction of numerous
dams and gigantic enterprises to cost
millions OF dollars, and never word
about the work done by individual en-
terpriss, the value of which outruns the
sum total of,ythe gigantic one by mil
lions, that the popular mind has been
brought to believe it impossible to 20
into the dry regions and project farm
unless those doing SO have money to the
tune of millions to begin the work.
The great mass of the work done so
far in reclaiming the arid regions comes
from single-handed efforts almcst alto
gether and the most prosperous commu-
mites of irrigation farmers that / know
of began almost without means, and
now whore they found barren sands and
sage brush are seen fields OF grain, hay
and other crops and above all magnifi-
cent orchards and trees. Happy fami-
lies occupy these deserts and all this is
the result of courageous individual ef-
fort. What better sxemplified term
would be given as evidence that entire
states can be put under cultivation by
the brawny arm OF he who wills to do it,
without the aid of bonds or mortgages.
than the marvellous growth of Utah. In
view. of this example and of thousands
more on smaller ecale, it is plain that
we do not need aid from government,
nor millions OF money to people the arid
region with prosperous and progressive
farmers. But we do need an intimate
knowledge of what has been done and
should make it clear that home in the
arid west will cost these who intelli-
gently make the effort about the same
per acre as it did the pioneers OF the
Mississippi valley to take ita lands and