Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-02
IRRIGATION AID FOR UTAH.

The Deseret News gives place today
for the valuable ana interesting re-
port OF Hon. f. s. Richards to the ir-
rigation commission, which was APP
pointed by the Governor under the law
passed at the recent session of the
Legislature, to take the necessary steps
to obtain for this state governmental
aid In irrigation affairs under the ma
tional law Of June Il, 1902.
We take additional pleasure In print
ing this report. because the News
was the only paper in this State that,
before such action was taken, urged
the sending Of lawyer TO Washington
who understood irrigation matters as
they exist In Utah, and could explain
the situation and the needs of this
State, and how the national law and
the state statutes could be mutually
and tremendously applied, for the hene-
Mt of the water-users in this particular
region.
Attorney F. S. Richards was chosen
by the commission for this purpose,and
the result shows the wisdom OF the ac-
tion and Of the choice, He was cor
daily received by the government Off
clais who have the execution of the
irrigation law In hand, because he
showed thorough familiarity with the
subject legally and practically, and In
stead of worrying them with complex
queries was able to inform them on
points that only a knowledge Of our
local affairs and the application Of the
laws TO them could furnish
The result is that after all the talk
about Utah being behind in taking
steps to secure its proportion OF the
funds to be disbursed, this State has
made the first legal fling under the
act of 1902, and work has already been
commenced to determine the practical
bility Of the Utah lake proposition.
which IS the most important OF all the
water projects that have been put
forth Prof. George L. swendson Of
the Agricultural college is actually en-
gagged in preliminary labors to this end,
Chief Engineer f, II. Newell viii be
here soon and give attention to IT,
and we may confidently look for a
speedy solution of this important prob
lem.
The Salt River situation In Arizona Is
different to that Of Utah, and particu-
larry TO the conditions that exist in Salt
Lake and Utah counties. where vested
rights to the use Of water from the lake
have existed for many years and can
not be lawfully disturbed The three
classes OF water distribution necessary
to meet the needs Of the users here, are
plainly defined in the report which we
publish, and attention is specially d.
rected to them that they may be fully
understood, We need not repeat them,
nor other parts Of the document which
are pertinent to the subject, as they are
so forcbly presented in the report
1t is gratifying TO know ihat the Utah
Irrigation commission Is recognized at
Washington as the body with which
communication viii be carried on con-
corning irrigation affairs here. Its au-
thority and powers were ably presented
by Attorney Richards, and his services
have received official Acknowledgement
Chief Engineer Newell in letter to
State Engineer Doremus expresses the
necessity Of dealing In every state to be
aided, with a single individual in order
TO make satisfactory progress and he
should possess, he says the following
qualifications: "a knowledge OF the
law Of June II, 1902; q general knowl-
edge Of the United States statutes and
practice which serve to modify or ex.
plain the special law; a knowledge OF
the state statutes and practice,
complete understanding OF what is
practicable end desirable to accom-
plish." He adds that there are very
few men who an these requirements
hut that mir, Richards Is so well quail.
flied that he was able to get down to
business from the start" and therefore
made "a good impression all around
and the largest possible results can
come from HIS intervention" The
commission has wisely retained him
for further services.
The capabilities OF Utah lake 70.
great and permanent reservoir win
soon be determined, The precipitation,
the evaporation, the manner In which
the latter cal be unlimited. the feos.
ibiliiy Of the dyking and other pro-
positions the cost. the incidentals to
the big undertaking win be fully iu.
vestigated, and the entire subject VIII
be ventilated We hope, our readers
will peruse the report we publish In ex.
terso today, and hat they will be able
TO appreciate wha. has been done and
The great coed that VIII be likely to
core therefrom to our agricultural in.
terests