Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-12-19

retarV, submitted an annual report to'i-
cerning the work of his office.
Local Observer Blythe of the weather
bureau presented a communication from
Willis II. Moore, chief Of the weather bu-
reau, transmitting data relative to wearh-
er conditions on the western plains.
Judge Emory F. Best, commissioner of
the land office. read a paper in support OF
his contention that the states should be
owners of the arid lands as they are now
in control Of the water, without which
such lands are valueless.
The Wright Act.
A committee on resolutions was appoint
ed. and one of the first documents pre-
scented to them was the following, stased
to be the unanimous voice of the Calfor-
MIA delcgati ton in respect to the Wright
act:
Whereas, The constitutionality of the irrga-
ton district law of California, known as the
Wright act, has been finally established by a
decision of the United States supreme court
and the power Of the states to construct public
systems of irrigation, either by general taxa
ton or creation of local Improvement districts
and to make use of the water for irrigation
and public use, has thus been established be-
yond question for all time and
Whereas All who are Interested in the de-
velOpment by irrigation of the arid lands of
this country recognize the Importance and "a
firm the underlying principle of the Wright acl.
that laws should be enacted which will enab t
owners of land to and control the Watf'
required for its Irrigation so that the land and
the water should be inseparably together t@
ever and
Whereas. Where the provisions Of the Wright
act have been followed and equtably and hon
estly administered and accomplished, the re
suit hoped from it and districts so organized
and operated have given to the land owner
70 hI1,.N SpI
and to the investors an assured security, but
Whereas, In practical operation OF the law,
Irregularities entailing complications and hard
ships have arisen, which have impaired the
beneficial results which the law proposed TO
accomplish, and
Whereas We believe that this irregularity,
by the complications and hardships which nave
arisen under them may be avoided IN the fu-
ture by the creation of a state board of con-
troll to supervise the organization and opera
tions of irrigation districts and by wise and
conservative policy amending the statute by
embodying in its provisions checks ana safe
guards which shall give the fullest protection
to both land owners and bondholders; and
Whereas. 1t is impossible that the ben
eits which may be obtained under the la"
should be fully realized until the experiences
which have come from its practical operations
in California shall have been thoroughly IN
vestigated and understood and defects that
have developed shall have been remedied by
careful and thorough legislation, and
Whereas, We believe that it is Impossible
for the members of the legislature in the brlef
time allotted to them for the discharge OF
their duties and the haste and pressure under
which they must labor to acquire the necessary
Familiarity with the main intricate and dit
fic,lt legal, financial and engineering problems
to be overcome; now, therefore. be 1t
Resolved, That all obstacles which now
stand in the way of the successful operation
Of the irrigation district system best be
removed in those states where is desired op-
Grafton under the law in California, especallly
by delegating the whole subject to state
commission for a sufficient length Of time TO
enable it to give to the matter the most thor
cugh investigation of existing conditions ahf
afford the fullest opportunity for SUGGESTIONS
and objections to the statute may be so a1helu-
ed that we may get the full benefit OF the
light and experiences of 10 years of practical
operation, light which was not before the
original trainers of the law, who were pioneer
ing in a new field, and that the law may pe
so modified that it will unite as far as posi-
be all the people of the districts and of the
state in an earnest and united effort to achieve
the purpose of the law and enjoy its fruits
and to give the fullest protection to indivld-
ual property rights and the most absolute Sc
curitv to investors. And we would further rec
ommend that in California and in any other
state where it may be necessary, there should
he a constitutional amendment under Whlch
all voting irrigation districts may be limited
to actual andholders and assessment be made
and collected by the county assessors ana taS
collectors and the proceeds of bond sales be
deposited in the state treasury undlspurseu ps
the district.
For Permanent Body.
O'Neil Of Arizona moved a committee On
organization to the end that the body take
upon itself more than an existence OF three
or four days in a year.
Chairman Moses of the national execu-
tive committee appointed c. NJ Heintz, W.
r O'Neil, j. A. Dart. j. w. Watson }.
,,I Iu1cOn
The committee is in session this evening
and will report in the morning.
The convention seems to be in favor OF
the plan and it is probable the congress
will assume many features new to it.
f. H. Newell. chief of the hydrograpllc
survey, closed the program with paper
on irrigation in humid America