Arizona republican., 1899-02-25
THE ARID LANDS.

The Los Angeles Times in a long edi-
 toria1 takes issue with Governor Mu1-
 phy upon the question of the cessiOn
 of the arid lands to the states and ter
 ritories within the so-ealled arid re-
 zion in order to bring about their re-
 clamation and occupancy.
 No doubt the Times believes in the
 position 1t takes and is very desirous of
 placing before it's readers logical and
 conclusive arguments on ,he subject it
 assumes to discuss. 1t is usually con-
 rect in it's premises, but in this matter
 ie is very fan wrong, evidently from q
 lack of information.
 In referring to Governor Murphy s
 incidental statement that cession of
 the lands would relieve the general
 government of much annoying respon- sibilfty, the Times says:
 So it would if the management of the army and navy and revenue depart ment were taken from Washington and distributed among the states.
 Such long-distance reasoning seems too far-fetched to see; but, without dwelling upon comments which are mn- material to the main question involved, a little congressional history for the benefit of the Times may not be out of place Congress abandoned long ago, as entirely impracticable, the very plan the Times now advocates. In it's edi- torial that paper says:
 It was recently noted in the Times that congress had fayorably consider ed proposition to apprcpuialte a sum of money for the purpose of making a preliminary survey of reservoir sites, etc.
 In October, 1888, congress passed the following act:
 For the purpose of investigating the extent to which the arid region of the United States can be redeemed by irI1- gation and the segregation of the irri- gable lands n such arid region, and for the selection of sites for reservoirs and other hydraulic works necessary for the storage and utilization of water for irrigation and the prevention of floods and oYerf1ows, * the work to be per frrmed by the geological survey, under the direction of the secretary of the in- iterior And all the lands which may hereafter be disignajted or selected by such United States surveys for sites for reservoirs, 0itcheS or canals for 1r rigation purposes and all the lands made susceptible of irrigation by such reservoirs, diitches or canals are from | this time henceforth hereby reserved from sale as the property of the United | States, and shall net be subject after | the passage of this act, to entry, settle | ment or occupation until further pro- vided by law
 Surveys were made reservoirs and | canal sites were located, and land un- der them withdrawn from entry. A plan had been carefully laid to con- struct reservoirs and canals under gov eEnment direction and control, and it was proposed that continuous approp riations be made for the purpose; but after authorizing the location and sur Vey of the sites, congress would not ap- pnoprialte money with which to con struct the reservoirs, and after three years of controversy, and at the almost request of western people, the law was repealed and the plan abandoned, although not until the F'ifty-fCurth congress could legislation be procured throwing open to entry the reservoir sites which had been To- cated. The question was the subject of much cores pondence, debate, and and it was demonstrated that the consent of congress could not be obtained for the reclamation of the arid lands in that way. It was main tained that the location of these sites and the withdrawal of land from entry awaiting the slow progress of con- struction by the government under continuous appro priations would retard the development and growth of the western states in the occupancy of ; lands mere than half a century; be- sides. congress positively refused to authorize the expenditure of the many millions which would be required to do the work outlined.
 Ever since the abandonment of the ( plan referred to, citizens interested in he development of the west, represen- tatives and committees in congress, have been trying hard to solve the until now it is believed to be he consensus of opinion among he best informed on the sub ect that the states and terri tories can Lest reclaim and de- 7elop the lands within tneir borders lnder local regulation and control, and z hat they should be csded the lands for s he purpose, the Times to the contrary  The state of Wyoming was given a I million acres of land several years ago g