The Florence tribune., 1900-11-03
OUR TERRITORIAL NEEDS.
ICommunicated.l

 zona we are especially interested in its affairs and in whatever may tend to increase it's prosperity. It possesses wonderful and varied resources, and will rank with the richest states in the Union. With sn intelligent and progressive population of upwards of 122,OO0 inhabitants, it soon will, and by right ought to be admitted to state- hood. When the people can assume and enjoy all the benefits of state government, elect from the body of the people their state officers and judges, who are interested, and thoroughly acquainted with our desires and needs, then shall we enjoy greater measure of prosperity. When we are able to elect our senators and representatives to Congress who will have a voice in the affairs of the na- tion, the greater influence can be brought to bear on legislation in our behalf. We can help select the presi. dent, and our political influence and sssistence may secure for us benef- cial legislation. As state we will be divorced from the restrictions of the Harrison Act, and the Alien law. Immigration and capital will come in- to the state and assist in it's develop ment. We will have better aud more interested officials, better laws, better courts and decisions. Through Con- gress and ourselves we may be able to solve the water problem and formulate some system of irrigation for our agricultural lands. All we have been doing and are doing now, is praying that Congress will build storage reser- voirs to supply the Indians; we cosaa not expect to get even the waste water. A section of the country like Arizona so rich and varied in climate, soil and production can not long be neglected. Its mild, healthful climate, it's great mines of mineral wealth, it's vast for. ests of timber, it's wonderful area of grazing lands and herds of cattle and sheep and most of all it's thOus ands of acres of rich agricultural lands, must invite the investor and the home seek CT. But to make the agricultural lands productive, there must be de- vised different system of irrigation, the present system. is not sufficient Reservoirs should be built and the flood waters impounaed and stored to be used when required. This should. be done by the general government | for the benefit of settlers upon the public land, and the management and distribution of the water should be under its supervision. But in order to do this there must be revision of the present land laws. The present land laws were made for the benefit, only, of that section of the country where exists the natural rain fall, and were never intended to apply to the arid region. The government disposes of it's lands there on the same terms as in the arid regions, but nature lends . bountiful supply of water. But in the arid regions. the government dis. poses of it's lands to settlers, and leaves them to the tender mercies oi speculative, irresponsible canal com. panies, that flch from the settlers and farmers every dollar they can produce give them poor service, then, finally unload their stock or become insolnent go into the hands of receiver, wht winds up the business of the compau, sud also the farmers,
 From 98 to l20 degrees west may b, nptly termed, the arid region, and thu most of it is made productive only b, lirrigation. The government shoult devise different system of land law for this region. If the governmen could assure permanent supply o water, and under it's own supervision it could dispose of it's agricultuEa lands quickly at $100 per acre coul
 impose reasonable tax as rental upo the consumers who could easily pa , five dollars per acre per annum1 Te
 acros of this land would be more valu
 able than one hundred acres wher
 there is the natural rain fall, becaus
 it is more productive, more crops ca be raisedan greater variety of prt = ducts produced. In 8 short time
 would become almost invaluable an become the homes of thousands of pc, ' pie. The money received from th
 sale oA the lands would build theresa
 voirs and the annMal rentals woul
 keep them in repair and pay expens' Q of operation. Of course, provision
 must be made to, protect tt
 rights of those who have alrGad
 acquired their lands.
 We have in Pinal county what
 known as the Florence canal, operat'
 by a corporation. Under this canal . number of farmers have been tryir
 to farm for the last fifteen year a They have cleared of their land
 broken the soil, built their fence
 their houses and other improvement