Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-26
WE MUST WATCH AND WAIT

purported interview (by Wholh u l'o'
nade to appear with Hydrographer
Newell in regard to alleged swlndllng
schemes by which money Is said to be
cxtorted from unsuspecting settlers I'd
the arid and semi.arld regions, oters
being made to give Information as 10
lands which win be first benefited ny
the national irrigation act. IL there are
any such schemes atloat OF course they
are fraudulent, and the public should
ho warned against them. But the whole
story seems to lack confirmation ana
we would have paid no attention to II
hut for the following paragraphs III
the editorial touching on the subject
and which are misleading In their IN
thnations. The Herald OF wednesday
said;
an the same interview Mr.. Newell
snys that nobody, not even the depart
ment itself, knows what lands are 10 DC
Irrigated by the government a su,te-
plent that Is Of special interest IN view
OF the announcements from time 10
time that sites had been selected In one
state and another for irrigation worAs
under government supervision. II no
sites have been selected we may as
well get ready TO make another strong
null together for the particular proleei
in which we are interested,
"And this IL the very thing that mas
caused all the hesitation on the part
OF the government There are so many
different sites, each with It's peculiar
advantages and It's coterie of support
ers. that the government has found
choice next 10 impossible. The citizens
Of no state are all agreed on a given
proposltion There are differences IN
Utah over the Utah lake plan; there
are differences In Arizona over the salt
river and San Carlos schemes, Differ
ences everywhere.
mo doubt these are honest differ
efices. but II has become quite appaf-
ent that unless the men who have IN
fiuence IN such matters reach an agree
ment 1t win be a long time before the
money received from the sale OF gov
eminent lands in the arid and semi-nrid
states Is converted into reservoirs and
irrigating bitches. There ls enough
money on hand to make a beginning,
but there VIII be no beginning until
an agreement e reached by the people
nost Interested.
The facts are that everything possible
has been done concerning the Utah lake
proposition. Before any strong pull"
can be made more than has been
brought 70 bear, a preliminary examina-
tion must be completed by the govern
ment experts employed for the purpose,
Then there must be full report from
the engineering department as to the
feasibility Of the undertaking. 1t was
20 obtain this government work that
Attorney +, ). Richards went TO Wash
ington and had his important confer.
ences with the government officials
there. They resulted in the direct as
surance that the preliminary investlga-
tlons should be made at once, and Mr.
Newell gave the word positively during
his visit here after Mr. Richards re-
turn. that the work should proceed with
all possible dispatch,
The government must first be satisfied
that the watershed from which the lake
receives it's supply viii furnish suffl-
Client water during the dry seasons for
the purposes Intended. Then the en-
cheering possibilities will have 10 be
determined, and a lso the most feasible
method OF conserving the water Of the
lake, OF limiting the evaporation, and
Of conveying the water 70 the users en-
titled to II and OF lrrigatng lands now
uncultlyated An this is to be done as
soon as practicable and the work is un-
der way.
II Is Of no use to intimate that there
Is hndrance because no sites have
been selected and that AN agreement
has TO be reached by the people most in
terested," for there is nothing now to
be done but to wait for the completion
u the preliminary government work We
have here explained Mr. Newell was
very earnest IN his expressions Of de-
termination that 1t should be pushed as
-apldly as possible. The Utah lake site
mas been selected Tor this examination.
and nothing that the people here can DO
AZ present viii expedite IT, That re-
mains with the government officials and
.xperts
The question may. be asked, suppose,
after all that is stated has been &C
'ompllsbed, and il appears that there
would not be a sufficient supply from
he lake. 10 warrant the expenditure Of
ne government money required TO be
applied Tor the reclamation Of arid or
em-ard lands, In addition TO the lrr-
ration Of the farms now titled and the
mpply owned By Salt Lake city, would
lot the people here have TO reimburse
he government for the great expense
involved. and thus be greatly out Of
boeket for nothng2 That query can
% set at rest for Mr. Newell gave his
Eord that not only should the exam
nation be conducted without cost to
be people hire but should come out Of
b. government fund provided for such
york and SHOULD not even be- charged
lEalnst uah's quota Of the sum 10 BE-
expended under the national irrigation
aw. This can be fully relied upon.
ven though It has not appeared In
lrint before,
80 the dubious may possess their
ouls IN patience, aud those who do not
Understand the true inwardness' Of
pc movement should learn the facts
4fole attempting 10 explain them: