The Florence tribune., 1899-07-01

would result from earyying out the provisions of the Cary law.
 If the government parts with it's title to large quantities of the public domain in the arid belt, under the op- eratians of the Cary law and kindred measures, it will prove great draw back to the scheme for the accomplish ing of which the entire West should bend every energy and use every hon. orable means, viz, national irrigation.
 Those were my views three and half years ago, and time has confirmed me in the belief that they were then, ss now, sound Eighteen months after the address above quoted from was de livered, in my report as Governor to thSs Secretary of the Interior, l adyo- Nsaled Q national system of irrigation, saying, among other things "The government could carry out such 8 work readily. The millions that would be needed could best come from the nation, and with sale of the lands irrigated, the noney that it cost could be returned to the national treasury. With national system of irrigation millions of people from the congested centers of population would find homes in the West. A more even balance would be given the nation. Squalid poverty would be replaced with pros perity, and the desert would be trans formed into veritable paradise"
 Now these are my own individual opinions, but I am gratifed to know that every irrigation congress that has met in the West or elswhere has re- solved in favor of national irrigation, and against cession of the lands to the States and. Territories Even the recent congress at Wichita, while more of a commercial gathering than any thing else. passed resolutions in favor of national irrigation, and refused to pass resolution in favor of cession.
 Those who favor the giving of the lands to the States and Territories say it is idle to think that Congress will in this generation, or the next to come, adopt system of national irrigation. Those who pretend to think so are either ignorant of the sentiment pre- vailing in the country and Congress, or they are not honest. For they should know that Congress. at its last ssssions came very close to appropriating sS00,- GOO to begin work upon system of national irrigation for the arid West" and that the ieadsxs. ofs sf1 parties agreed with Senators Warren, Carter, Rawlings, shoup and others that at least that sum should be appropriated by tho next Congress f. they would consent to let the matter go over. There is little doubt but that the next Congress will inaugurate the work of building the NigarAgua GsEal,. which will be of vast benefit to the great West, but it will not be one-sixteenth part as much beneEt,as would be na- tional system of irrigation for the arid lands.
 If the government parts with it's title to the arid lands, and they are hawked in every city in the land to find capital to reclaim them. as they. would be, they will never be reclaimed, as they skould be, for the benefit of actual settlers; but if the government con tinues to own them.the time will come when it will see the wisdom of.reclaim- ing them to make room. for the over crowded cities, and will, do it. Until that time the people and Congress should be warned against all effor ts to give the lands to the States and Terri tories. The friends of national sys- tenn of irrigation ought to be. and no doubt are, very thankful to the Los Angeles Times, for its powerful aid in opposition to giving the arid lands tc the States and Territories. The Times does not wear any corporation collar
 and its columns are devoted to the in
 terests. of the people. Long live thu
 Times. MvRoN H. MeCoED.