The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-09-08
rHE IEHaaATIos CONGRESS-.


Summary Of the Lexfsistien % BE
Asksd From tongrsas-
Dxsvxa. Sept THE stsendance at the
Irrigation congress today Vas smaller IN an
herssofors. some delegates having already
left for bone. Judge Emery, Of Kansas.
national lecturer Of the ozgress. spoke On
The true slgnIhcancs % the irrigation
ruovsrnsbt ia regard to arid Iands." The
ARID section Of the United States, be said.
was over half the possessions OF the
government. not including Alaska
ssThis sscsion." he continued, "has
not over 10000 population. The
greater portion Of this vas. tract can be
irrigated, and II reclaimed will provide
hosnss for over rs. 900 coo people" He de-
nonnesd 8scretsry Aorton's letter 70 this
congress In which he said. These meet
ings have nothing 10 do with practical irri-
cation" - utterly untrue. Judge Emery
advocated small farms and storage rsser-
ssGss and an irrigation survey for the par
pose Of discovering and distributing the
water Of the country for irrigation pur-
poses.
The COMMITTEES on resolutions submitted
majority and minority reports. The ma
jorfty report vas as follows;
ssThs national executive eonmitte ofths
irrigation congress Is hereby instructed TO
prepare q series OF bills for presentation TO
the congress Of the United states smbody-
Ing the following propositions:
Il Repeal of the desert land Law.
-. Withdrawal from settlement OF ell
arid lands within the arid region not
found 20 be capable Of irrigation, all such
lands, except mineral lands, TO be held for
catchment areas, pasturage and timber.
IS. Lease Of pasturags lands, giving
preference 20 actual occupants and cuiti-
vators OF adjoining irrigabls lands, and
sale OF the surplus timber, the proceeds
arising from such sources 10 be devoted TO
the development Of the water 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 construction of
Irrigation works. title to such lands TO re-
main in the Federal government until such
time - IL passes through the state to the
actual settler. no one individual being per-
mitled TO acquire title 10 more than forty
acres of irrigated land, except In case of
lands 90 located that the conditions neces-
state the enlargement of the home unit, 20
be determined on the basis of the value of
the crops produced, the money received
from such sources 10 be reserved for the
purpose Of dischsrglng the obligations in
Cured In the work OF retaining public
lands. This recommendation is independ-
ent OF the Carey law. and il not intended
70 conflict with or modify the provisions
Of that Law.
% That when any state shall have
reclaimed land under the plan provided In
section IL shall form irrigation divisions
according % hydrcgraphie conditions. and
when . sufficient number of settlers shall
have actually located upon the land within
such division the state shall. condition.
ally. turn over the local administration 20
the authorities of said water division.
80 That before any state can avail itself
OF these provisions IL shall have legally
constituted state irrigation department.
That there shall be appointed = national
irrigation commission. vested with the
administration and government of the
pastoral aud forest lands, and of
sueh irrigation works as may be un-
dertaksn under Federal authority, and DO
empowered 10 consider and authorize gem
eral plans of rcclama alton submitted by the
irrigation department OF any state. The
national irrigation commission shall also
be charged with the work of making an
immediate Investigation Of the problem of
interstate streams, and report TO the con-
gress OF the United States as early as pos
sible measure providing a means for the
speedy and FINAL adjudication of questions
between states. and plan for the division
OF streams on basis OF justice and
equality
- That the several territories be In
eludsd in the provisions Of the Carey Law.
- That an international comm Ission
be constituted. composed OF representa-
tives OF the United States, Canada and
Mexico, whose purposes il shall be 10
thoroughly examine into and aFbitrate
questions arising between said nations be-
cause OF the waters OF rivers partly in each
of two countries. or serving IS boundary
between the two. and 10 settle upon a basis
and method for the equitable division of
the waters Of such streams when used for
irrigation.
%. That sufficient appropriations be Sc
cured for carrying on ths work Of gsuging
streams. selecting and segregating reser-
yoir sites. and for prosecuting surveys 10
determine the location of lands susceptible
Of reclamation. aud such other work In
the line Of investigation aud experiment as
may be iegiumately undertaken. such ap-
pEoprtAtions 10 be expended under the
direction of the national irrigation COM
mission.
40 That the reservoir sites heretofore
reserved by the government, which may
become necessary Tor use Of states under
the operations OF the Carey Law, shall he
released and made available upon applica-
cation therefor OF states or territories"
The minority report favored the owner
shin by the several states Of the arid lands
within their respective territories, and
mentioned conditions upon w.iich owner
ship 10 10 be acquired.