The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-03
IRRIGATION.
Homes for Millions in the Country
to Be Reclaimed.

HEW subjects of more Importance have
been taken up by the congress in re-
cent years than the Inauguration OF
the system of nationaI-aided irrigation for
the arid regions of the far west. A good
beginning therein has been made. Now
that this policy of national irrigation has
been adopted, the need of thorough and
scientific forest protection viii grow
more rapidly than ever throughout the
public land states.
Legislation should be provided for the
protection OF game, and the Wild crea-
lures generally, on the forest reserves.
The SenSeleSS slaughter OF game, which
can by judiciOuS protection be perna-
nently preserved on our na[onai reserves Is
for the people as whole, should De
stopped at once. 1t IS, for instance, a
serious count against our national good
sense to permit the present practice OF
butchering off sucn stately and beautiful
creatures as the elk for its antlers 81
tuSks.
So far as they are available for agri-
culture, and TO whatever extent they may
be reclaimed under the national irriga-
ton law the remaining public lands
should be held rigidly for the home build
er, the settler who lives on his land, and
for no one else.
y In their actual use the desert land \
y law, the timber and stone law, and =
y the Communication clause Of the home y
= stead law have been so perverted y
y from the intention with which they y
y were enacted as to permit the ac- =
y QUESTION of large areas Of the public y
= domain for other than actual set ,
y tiers and the consequent prevention y
y of settlement.
Moreover. the approaching exhaustion
of the public ranges has of late led 70
much discussion as to the best manner
of using these public lands IN the west
which are suitable chiefly OF only Tor
grazing. The sound and steady d6yeloH
nent of the west depends upon the build
ing up of homes therein Much OF our
prosperity as a nation has. been due 70
the operation Of the homestead law On
the other hand, We should recognize the
fact that in the grazing region the man
who corresponds TO the hOmesteader may
be unable TO settle permanently If only
ture land that his brother, the home
Steader, is allowed to use of arabic land,
One hundred and sixty acres of fairly
rich and well-Watered soil, or a much
smaller amount of irrigated land, may
keep a family in plenty, whereas no one
could get a living from 169 acres OF dry
pasture land capable OF supporting al
the outside only one head OF cattle &c
every ten acres
= In the past great tracts Of the pub =
= lie domain have been fenced IN by =
persons having no title thereto, IN (
y direct defiance OF the law fOrbldding =
\ the maintenance or construction OF =
y any such unlawful Enclosure of pub =
= lie land For various reasons there =
= has been little interference with such ,
y Enclosures in the past. but ample no. =
y tice has now been given the tres y
= pasSers. and all the resources at the ,
= command of the government viii =
herea fter be used to put stop TO =
y such trespaSstng. =
In view of the capital Importance Of
these matters. I commend them TO The
earnest consideration of the congress, and
if the congress finds difficulty in dealing
with them from lack of thorough knoWl-
edge of the subject. recommend that
provision be made for a commission OF
experts specially to investigate and re
port upon the complicated questions in
YOlVad