Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-17
NATIONAL IRRIGATION CONGRESS Is
WRESTLING WITH 1T.
FEDERAL LEGISLATION WANTED
WRIGHT IRRIGATION LAW OF CALL
FORNIA DISCUSSED.
Superintendent of the kankakee, Ill,
Insane Asylum Tells of Success
in Irrigation at His Insti-
tution-Messuge From
Major Mckinley.

Phoenix, A. T., Dec. 16.-(SpeciaI) The
resolutions committee. of the National Irrf-
CATION Congress is in session, working over
ing to national legislation favorable to the
storage of water for use on arid lands of
tho West Nearly all measures seek Il
cession of arid lands to states, on the the
ory that the water supply is under the df-
rection of state courts and that without
water supply the lands of the intermount-
ain states are useless.
This mornings work in convention en-
braced an address upon the Wright act
of California, presented by George H. Max
well, one of the counsel against the meas
ure in the United States supreme court.
He assailed the act as unjust in its provis-
ions and as allowing the bonding of the
entire community, at the will of a bare
majority of the smaller Iandholders, and
at the cost of many not benefited.
He suggested, first. the creation of ma
tioIal irrigation commission; second, the
cession of arid lands to the states upon
conditions assuring their reclamation and
settlement by actual settlers and the pre-.
main; third the preservation of forests as
the sources of water supply; fourth, tbs
construction of water storage reservoirs
by the national government and he urged
upon the convention its strong support of
the bill of Senator Allen, appropriating
Sl,C00.000 for surveys for location of reser-
voir sites.
Judge j. H. Kibbey of Phoenix. upon
whose decision in district court, the dis
uiEution of the water supply in Arizona is
made. spoke, deprecating legislation of
whatever nature affecting the water sup
ply deeming 1t to be a matter best to be
handled by private enterprise and expand
ed as best suited to communities needs.
DIR. Clark Gapen, superintendent of the
great Illinois insane asylum at Kankakee,
spoke of the success attending irrigation
upon the grounds of that institution, in a
land of heavy rainfall. The main address
of the afternoon was by Dix Smith, a noted
irrigation attorney OF Elmira N. Y, who
favored national control of water through
IL court similar to the land court.
Mr.. Smith brought to the convention a
message from President-elect Mckinley,
whom he had seen within a week Major
Mckinley said: You may say to. the irriga-
ton congress that / send its members a
cordial greeting; that in their efforts for
the improvement of the West they have
my best wishes, and that all measures for
the Improvement of the arid West that
may come before me during my adminis-
tration shall receive my earnest and con-
siderate attention"
Papers We're also submitted by ]. d.
Schuyler, of California; A. E Biount. of
New Mexico; T. S. Van Dyke, of Califor-
mia; W. O. ONeill. of Arizona; e. T. Hud-
ford, of Denver.
M Poppy, of Arizona. introduced a
memorial petitioning congress to take no.
tice to the destitute condition of 100000
Pima and Maricopa Indians. deprived of IL
livelihood through deprivation by whites
OF their water supply, and asking national
impounding water at the Buttes on the
Gil3s river. above Florence.
proposition was submitted to the reso-
legislation committee from each arid state
of the West. such committee to he in
dorsed, whenever practicable. by the state
legislatures and with the duty to promote
government aid for the arid lands of the
West.