The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-06-27

~ - N""o PdlIlesJ WHO nav turned away into their own
sa, Just south Of the border, a considerable percentage Of it's flow,
There have been complaints in Utah over appropriation by the State
o. wyoming u Inc waters OF Bear River, already claimed by Utah Iri
gators. mat more OF these questions have not already arisen is only be-
cause the natural flow Of the streams has not yet been all used up. So
plant.
In the case Of reservoirs it not infrequently happens that some Of the
very pest sites are to be found close to State lines, where the waters 20
stored will flow Immediately into %neighboring States. In these extreme
cases the States where they are located could moi, Of course, be expected
oconstructr reservoirs and the States to be benefited would not be likely
to 60 outside their own borders to do SO. The function clearly pertains
to That sovereignty which covers all the country and embraces the streams
from their sources to the sea. It alone can store these waters and be
sure that 1T is reaping the full benefit.
Inc policy Of the Government in the matter Of the preservation of the
Forests OF the country is a case directly in point. There seems to be a
well nigh universal consensus of opinion that the preservation of the
forests OF the arid regions is distinctly a Government duty. Considerable
and ways and means for their preservation are being considered, Now
one OF the great arguments always advanced in favor of forest preserva-
How OF streams. Inasnuch as the commercial value Of these forests is
practically insignificant, except for furnishing fuel and rough timber, the
"aterq question IS really the more important one. If it is properly a Gov
eminent function to preserve the forests in order to conserve the aow
OF the streams, surely it can not be less a Government function to execute
works which Will conserve that flow even more positively and directly.
Granting all that can be said of forests in this connection. thew certainly
can never prevent the June rise. and it is precisely this waste flow which
reservoirs will help to save. The forests ought unouestionably to he
preserved, and the Government is the proper agency to do it. but the
principal arguments therefor apply with accentuated force to the con-
Another reason why the Government should have an interest in th.
work is that it is the largest landowner in the arid west. In Wyoming.
over 10 per cent OF the soil belongs to the Government, and its holdings
throughout the West include millions Of acres which can be reclaimed
from their present desert condition and made productive lands. Il tia
respect; government assistance in providing water for irrigation is a
simple puslness proposition tor the enhancement of it's own property.
IN the matter OF resources, we at once encounter an insuperable
opsace 10 extensive public works on the part Of most of the States
Their revenues will not permit it. In some States taxation is limited
by the constitution to certain percentage of valuation. The State in
such a case, if without sufficient revenue, is absolutely forestaled from
carrying on works which might enhance the value of property in the
State and lead to increased revenue. There is no discoverable method
by which adequate means can be obtained for State works of any magni-
1uoe u mss stage ot their development unless, al urged by some, it be
through a gift to the States Of the public lands within their borders. A
MS IS a matter OF vital Importance, not only to the future development of
the West, but to the particular question with which we are here con-
cerned, a brief reference to it will be given.
In order to facilitate the development Of the country under the rapid
~ changing industrial conditions of the West, and particularly to pro-
vide the States with an increased revenue, it is being strongly urged in
various quarters that the public lands be ceded to the States. It is then
proposed to uset the nonirrigahe lands, which re only fit for grazing, in
connection with irrigable lands, SO that the holder of irngable land upon
any stream may hold also a good extent Of grazing land contiguous
thereto, and that the grazing lands of the West may be sc divided that
every portion shall have access to water somewhere. The freerange in
dushy is practically thing of the past, and is, by its very nature, incom-
ptible with the permanent settlement of the country. Since the latter
bound to come about sooner " later, a division Of the grazing lands
would seem to be a necessity Of the near future, and the public land laws
have to be modified to secure this end. It is argued that if the
are coded to the States under proper restriction they can be leased
At a small rental q cent per annum per acre has been suggested), and
the HI States can thus derive enough revenue to enable them to undertake
'% s ss S1siss IN of fa any '1 ef ae7 = / a aaTf In f9 ss eo e Ss'sRdsh OF q9 3se.e 9%s
H Hsstant al mssts; en SseS e "cn the ep aesumnf e I t have tb snf s%%9tfa ol nss Ssa
ssS: 4 !; :%' I ;@ i $s : + tt t % e% sss ! :: ;:ssp; Fl !: "a ! ! ! s, s E; s$ q: s;;: ss$Ss : !" !: s:
: 9$S e {; ;3t & 6 !; so E !s sss ss ss9s: @ Il II es ssyi ssa? :ea f: tie e ass nssS
; ;ss r. ~. :sS s;s :Y:$%, j. : $ s ss s' s # ssss' 4 $ TT !: Y ! ; !s e :; 2 's +, + s !
ns ss not OF tss s sst R %seS' IN arrangement fs4efsa Countries Ts s st fsas Sse9 Fssa tss 9 eassa in
;:s5 f = !; a % e s, .; e. ss y XIX s e. es ssa s s; s%:'; ,a :s,; :$!ef : y, ;ss;; S s'"ss :: ' E 1 r.
. a. = = d it 1saS, ~ = va; Water t1 risn an etc., srs concern t i in ever: syssy
{ The ssi States: n TSs s ssSsss Of nm ny . , nSss 'sess %' have snowy ne nothing 5as ss
5s, pr eassas 81 ! s1s sssS% eon %sd' o FL frr IS ssea1 works. s. n any way "':ss'n:
urposs i simply to enlarge and reinforce r natural resources Of The
n %s4ms s' indeed d. a o' OCCASIONAL O. ioaa eseses &c Of e com a4oT were re necessary ecea ~ in n times
! ns have Or q si inte' s%ssse Character ae T TSs sa ses i a1 IN every every re res! !e%tH ike so THAT q
1eee sGvf nmn cau control and preservation Of forests to ""e a0eno0nn 's
upon the idea that no such work ought to e constructed unless it
aTa sss eapM Sy n : ffe %o sdu ta upon ap 1 tss s %est. an two VT e errors %I un %es lie this su a SEs
s s = :; he e e s1 T. t ss s%s; E E { : : IT, e i i !, : : 3 : ; .s Sss Inv ss i sss .s x: ALREADY ss{
o. t suh ee eontrol w as atn { g Ffssr a y iev %1S FROM Ms ' them No II Tne es example of