The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-08

Denver. Sept. 1.-THE attendance at
the irrigation congress today was
smaller than heretofore, some delegates
having already left for home.
The chairman announced that the
committee on resolutions would not be
ready to report until o'clock. This
raised a storm of protests.
On motion of Joel Shoemaker, of
Utah. committee was appointed to
wait on the committee on resolutions
and demand a report at once.
While waiting for the report, Thomas
R. Cutler. of Utah, read a paper on
sugar beet culture. after which Senior
Y. Corolla. of Mexico, spoke on the
necessity of having an international
water commission to settle the dis
putes between Mexico and the United
States regarding wslter privileges.
David Boyd, of Greeley, Colo, read
| a paper on 1.-The nature and behavior
of the Platte river.
Americas Arid Lands.
| Judge Emery, OF Kansas, national
| lecturer of the congress, spoke on 1.-THE
true significance of The irrigation move
ment in regard to&arid lands" The
arid section of the United States. he
said, was over half. the possessions of
| the government, net including Alaska.
This section" he continued, has not
over 100000 population. The greater
portion of this vast tract can be irri-
gated and if reclaimed will provide
homes for over 75,00O,0o0 people," He
| denounced the letter of Secretary Nor
ton to this congress, in which he
! S9i6-. ma I'M hor hi 10
do with practical Irrigation" as abso-
lutely untrue. The judge advocated
small farms and storage reservoirs and
! irrigation survey for the purpose Of
discovering and distributing the water
of the country for irrigation purposes.
| The Majority Report.
| Immediately upon reassembling the
committee on resolutions submitted a
majority and minority report. The ma
Jority report was as follows.
| The national executive committee of
the irrigation Cong1 ess is hereby in
structed to prepare series of bills for
presentation to the Congress of the
United States, embodying the follow
ing propositions:
First-Repeal the desert land law
Second-Withdrawal from settlement
lof all arid lands within the arid re-
glon not found to be capa BILE of irriga-
ton. all such lands, except mineral
lands. to be held for catchment areas
pasturage and timber
Thlrd-Leasing the pasturage landsr
giving preference to actual occupants
and cultivators Of adjoining irrigable
lands. the sale Of surplus timber, the
proceeds arising from such sources to
be devoted to the development of wa
ter supply for irrigation within the
state. and when no longer required for
such purposes to belong to the state.
THAT states be permitted to select
lands for reclamation and make them
the basis of security for the construc-
ton of irrigation works, title to such
lands to remain in the feder govern
ment until such time it passes through
the state to the actual settlers. no one
individual being permitted to acquire
title to more than forty acres of irri-
gated land except in case of lands so
that local conditions necessitate the
enlargement of the home unit because
of the small value of the crops pro-
duced. The money received from such
sources to be reserved for the purpose
OF discharging obligations incurred in !
the work of reclaiming. public lands.
This recommendation is independent
of the Carey law, and is not intended
to conflict with, or modify the pro-
visions of that law.
5-That when any state shall have
reclaimed land under the plan pro-
vided in section 5, it shall form irriga-
ton divisions according to HYDRO
graphic conditions, and when a suf-
ficent number of settlers shall have
actually located upon the land within
such division the state shall. condi-
tionally turn over the local admins
tration to the authorities of said water
division
6-That before any state can avail
itself of these provisions it shall have a
legally constituted state irrigation de-
partment. That there shall be APP
pointed a national irrigation commits
sion, vested with the administration
of government, pastoral and forest
lands, of such irrigation works as may
be undertaken under federal authority.
and be empowered to consider and
authorize general plans of reclamation
submitted by the irrigation department
of any state. The national irrigation
commission shall also be charged with
the work of making an immediate in
vestigation of the problem of inter-
state streams and report to the Con-
gress of the United States as early as
possible a measure providing a means
for the speedy and final adjudication
of questions between states, and a plan
for the division of streams on a basis
of justice and equity.
THAT the several territories be in
Guided in the provisions of the Carey
law.
S-That an international commission
be constituted, composed of the repre-
sentatives of the United States.
Canada and Mexico. whose purpose il
shall be to thoroughly examine into
and arbitrate questions arising be-
tween said nations because of the
waters of rivers partly in each of the
two countries, or serving as a bound
airy between two, and to settle upon a
basis and method for the equitable d.
vision of the waters of such streams
when used for irrigation.
9-That sufficient appropriations he
secured for carrying on the work of
.gauging streams, selecting and segre
eating reservoir sites. and for the
prosecuting surveys to determine the
location of lands susceptible Of re-
clamatien, and such other work in the
line of investigation and experiment as
may be legitimately undertaken, such
appropriations to be expended under
the direction Of the national irrigation
commission.
10-That reservoir sites heretofore
reserved by the government, which
may become necessary for the use of
states under the operations of the