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

Denver, Sept S-The National Irri-
cation Congress resumed consideration
|of the reports of the committee on res
|o1utions today. Elwood Mead, of Wyo-
ming, spoke in favor of the majority
report, which advocates the reclama-
ton of the arid lands under govern
|ment control
William Hall, of California, advocat-
ling the minority report, argued that
with the slow policy of the government
in prosecuting public work and the
necessary preliminaries, the present
generation would be dead and forgot
ten before the canals were completed.
He was opposed to the federal govern
ment having anything to say regard
ing the reclama ton of the arid lands,
Except to control and distribute the
waters of interstate and international
streams.
The minority report was voted down.
The majority report was then taken up
for discussion, section by section.
Resolutions Adopted.
The resolutions were amended and
changed to read as follows, and unani-
mously adopted:
"The national executive committees
|of the Irrigation congress is hereby in
presentation to the Congress Of the Uni
ted States, embodying the following
propositions:
"F'irst-Repeal the desert land law.
"Second-Whereas, The public land
|estates are already vested with power,
under the Carey law, to undertake the
reclamation and settlement of one mil
lion acres each. and
'Whereas. There is wide diversity of
opinion concerning the best policy to
pursue with relation to the remaining
|irrigab BILE lands; therefore be it
Resolved. That the proposition con-
tanned in sections and 5, of the re-
port of the majority of the committee
on resolutions, is reported back to the
|seyeral irrigation commissions, with
instructions to endeavor to report to
the fourh National Irrigation Congress
La more definite and satisfactory plan
for the reclamation of arid public lands
Through the cooperation of national
land state authorities.
"Third-That there shall be appoint
led a national irrigation commission,
vested with the supervision Of such IT.
rigation works as may be constructed
by the federal government. The ma
|tional irrigation commission shall also
be charged with the work of making
an immediate investigation of the prob
lem of interstate streams, and report to
1.-THE Congress of the United States as
|early as possible, a measure provldlns
la means for the speedy and final ad-
Indication of questions between states,
land a plan for the division of streams
lon a basis of Justice and equity.
.sFourth-That the several territories
be included in the provisions OF the
Carey law and any other laws asked
for to be provided for in these resolu-
lions.
"Fifth-That sufficient appropriation
Ibe secured from the general govern
lment for carrying on the work OF dis
lowering waters applicable to the rec
llamation of arid lands, and for the
prosecution of surveys necessary 10 de-
Itermine the location of lands suscepu-
Ible of irrigation, and the selection and
segregation of reservoir sites.
'Sixth@That reservoir sites hereto
fore reserved by the government shall
Ibe released an(i made available upon
application therefor by states and ter
lritories."
Adopted, But Not Referred.
The following were adopted as a part
lof the report, but not referred to the
national executive committee:
BE it resolved, That 1T is the sense
Iof this congress that the president OF
1.-The United States Immediately take
Isuch steps looking to the appointment
Iof international commissions composed
lof representatives of the United States,
lCanada and Mexico, whose duties it
shall be to thoroughly examine into
land determine questions arising be-
tween said nations because Of the wa
tiers of rivers partly in each of two
Icountries, or serving as a boundary be-
Tween two, and to settle upon a basis
land method for the equitable division
land use of the waters of such streams
when required for irrigation.
Ito the honorable the Senate and
House of Representatives in Con-
gress assembled.
"Your memorialist, the Third Ma
|tional Irrigation Congress, in session at