Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-01-27
Agricultural Legislation,

To the Editor.
A legislative committee OF seven
was chosen Mt tho last meeting OF the
State Agricultural society. This COM
mittee was Instructed TO ask the farm
ere through the press to send 10 It aSy
matter bearing on legislation Of inter.
est TO farmers. Tho committee was
further Instructed to put these matters
In proper form and lay them before
the Legislature and work to get laws
beneficial 10 agriculture In ali its
branches passed by the law.mAking
body.
La accordance with these insirue-
tons We heartily invite thu farm public
to work with us anu send such sugges.
tlons Ne TO tho individual or societies
may seem best. Though any matter
may be sent, II was particularly de-
sired that the farmers express them.
selves In regard TO the solution OF the
school land question ana 10 Irrigation
lava
The school lands, N settled before
survey, Ms shown In the letter sent out
on the subject, are subject TO home.
stead ana this ID the only safe way to
get title TO such lands. Several lot
tera have been received IN which mon
claim that by error they located on n
school seotionj that these efrOrs were
caused through Incorrect surveys, IT,
correct platiings, and Otherwise. IL 10
my opinion that n the error occurred
by fault OF the government survey or
by the fault Of the government agents,
the sstilrr may homestead, while n tho
error occurred from other CAUSES, tho
homestead would not hold good. In
any case the settler will 1nd that by
establishing q bona hde residence OF
ten, twenty or even forty years, tho
department. will oonstrue every hing
possible In his favor. The only way "
test the case 10 to apply ~ the land
ofiice for homestead.
AZ to the disposition Of the school
lands by the Legislature, the farmers
are especially Requested to express
their opinions. In doing this lot res.
son rule and remember that these
lRnds have bean used without the pay.
mont Of rent or taxes and that the
schools must be kept up by direct tax
alton aside from the funds furnished
by the Interest ON the money from the
sale OF tho school lands.
Irrigation, alter nearly nifty years Of
peaceful development, IL now one Of
the foremost topics Tor proposed legisla.
ton. The cause llf this violent HnAk-
ing up 10 tho presence OF 80 many
"wAter corporations" who will hold
and operate the canals but Will neItht I
own nor cultivate the land. In the
Governors message occurs tue follow.
Ing In regard to laws on irrigation:
"For the Hing ana recording VI rights
already acquired thToagh appropriation
aud the use OF water" Al ngtes that
this would boa very desirable matter
TO bring about were 4; possible. THIS
was attempted years ago, and after
costing the Territory anu tue farmers
thousands oil dollars, IL was found tn al
the hlinga were worthless, anu lt was
stated at our meeting that In the Salt
Lake county Nice there were n great
number OF cetuflga that were never
even called for amer they we're made
)ut by the recorder. The pt0puiililu
was discussed at some length ami II
was thought well nigh impossible t.
t1eoluAliy file aud record rights alter
some OF them HAD existed for nearly
hty years. IL would DO well for the
farmers TO inlvlligently investigate this
matter anu give their desires In the
matter.
Attention 10 called TO the loAdin
measures OF inteTest to farmers now
pending before the Legislature viz: The
rOrrens land bill; the board OF land
commissioners; the new tstray lAW;at d
The holding OF iArmerl' institutes. L
vas thought DESTROYS that once or
vice during the session. the legisla-
I've committee visit the capital anu
aid our fiends In tue Legislature 10