Arizona republican., 1899-02-25

clamatiOn, and that state no doubt ha:
 the best irrigation system in the coun
 try. Colorado is now clamoCing fol
 her lands for the same purpose. Ye-
 the Times seems afraid to trust oul
 own people, as the following paragraph
 would indicate
 As we have said we believe-an, d
 this belief is shared by many inf1uen-
 tial papers and people-that to cede the arid lands to the various states and territories in which they are located | would be productive of j vast amount
 Of scandal, corruption and demoraliza-
 tiCn. We have seen enough of the
 character and methods of state legiSla- l tI;res during the past few years to know that it would be dangerous and
 unWiSc to intruSt them with such a | large amount of unnecessary power. 1 How long does Governor Murphy sup
 pose it would take the average Arizona Or California or Nevada legislature to l transfer these lands into private own
 ership, no matter how strictly the law
 regarding them might be framed? There would, doubtless, be some 'valu- able consideration, in case of such
 transfer. but how much of such constd-
 eration the people of the state at large
 would receive. is another question.
 The transfer of these lands to pri-
 vate ownership is the very thing to be
 desired? We want these lands devel-
 oped, occupied, producing and taxable,
 and gneat contributors to the support of the state. It might be well to limit the acreage which could be granted to any person or corporation, but our great desire is to have the unoccupied and non-cultivated desert made fertile and productive and taxpaying, whether under private ownership or public. It Is true that liberal land grants have been made to railroad companies, but the grants have been usually made by the general government, and not by the state and they have been, as a rule, very beneficial.
 The Times evidently has poor opin- ion of it's state legislature, and is at the same time misinformed as to the | history of state control of public lands Texas was annexed as a state owning | its own public lands, and it became the | richest state ill the Union, and its land | office and legislative control have been eminently praiseworthy and success ful for the good of the people.
 The appropriation of a sum of money | by the general government to make surveys or to construct reservoirs or develop artesian water anywhere within the arid region, is, of course, much to be desired; and it is believed that western representatives and senators should insist uponi ap- prCpriations for such purposes, and it should net make, the slightest differ ence whether the state or the govern ment owns the land, any more than it dces in cases of river and harbor ap- or appropriations for any internal improvement. It is now pro- posed to add to the river and harbor bill pending in congress $50,000 for arid land reclamation purposes. This is perfectly proper, although the sum is entirely insufficient, as it should be divided between at least eight different states and territories. If the govern nent should undertake construction, lid it ever occur to the Times how many millions would have to be ap- lrcpriated for any effective results all ,ver the arid west, and how utterly utile it is to expect congress to do it; { T how the ownership of the reservoirs. nd lands, the distribution and control f ,f water, jurisdiction, etc, should be ( .djusted as between the state and fed I ral authorities?
 The Times is undoubtedly earnest nd sincere in its desire to reclaim the 2 noccupited and producing lands of s ho west To accomplish this result Z n the quickest and most satisfactory l manner, they should be ceded to the l tates and territories fer the purpose. he states would become strengthened f hereby; they could intelligently and | fectively use the lands for the devel- q pment and benefit of communities: | he desert could be made fertile and | roductive. In Arizona, especially this n iould be true as to agriculture, q nd the grazing lands could be I sasad to great advantage and T Ii differences between livestock u ltereg.s in that way adjusted e nd congress could be petitioned to aid il
 reclamation, with as much propriety " nd justice as if the lands belonged to u le general government. C . Just why such a rich endowment IT louId be refused if it can be obtained n
 is difficult to understand, notwith- fl anding the Times lack of faith in c ate legislatures. W Six distinct amendments have been 5 :epested as an easN mel hnd of diSnOS- U