Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-11-25
IRRIGATION Laws.

= tAc
IRRIGATION LAWS.
What the Twentieth Century West"
Has 10 Say on this ouedtfoh:. : = 3
The Twentieth Century West" pup
fishes the following: &
I'm the course Of very able adore IS
on State and national cooperation in
carrying ont the new policy, Senator
Francis G. Newlands, Of Nevada, re-
ferr...a to the failure Of the Works bill 4
in California last winter. Without at
tempting to discuss the merits Of that
particular measure, he predicted that
this State cannot make much progress
in irrigation matters until it is at
the opinion that theose who fought the
the opinion that those who founght the
proposed legislation owed it to them
selves and to the State to suggest some
alternative. This is criticism which
is frequently heard and which is fair
enough on it's face In time it WILDE
a thoroughly just criticism, provided
the opponents of the Work bill shall
offer no substitute. But there was no
time to frame, discuss and perfect
measure after the Works bill was
81
placed before the people a year ago
1t was not until December that the
California Water and Forest Associ-
alton, at it's annual meeting, formally
endorsed the Works bill and appoint.
ed a committee to present it to TIE
Legislature. Another month elapsed
before those interested in such matters
throughout the length and breadth OF
the State learned of the provisions Of
the bill and came together in public
meetings to discuss it. 1t was then
nearly time for the Legislature to
convene. The utmost that could be
done-and it required lively work 20
do twas to bring public opinion 20
bear with overwhelming force against
a bill which certainly did not meet
the views of those who do the real
work of irrigation, and who must he
depended upon to make success Of
any new law dealing with this subject.
1t was a physical and Intellectual i'm
possibility to prepare an alternative
measure in time to bring it before the
Legislature during the session of sixty
days.
Senator Newlands certainly does
not mean to say that, in our anxiety
for progress, we ought to accept any
sort of bill, even if we believe i;
fundamentally wrong, unless we are
prepared to present substitute at d
moments notice. The point he made
land it is a sound one), is that there
must be substantial agreement al
public opinion in California as to the
underlying principles of irrigation, bt,
fore we can expect a great deal of AS
sistance from the national government
in developing the resources OF this
State. That is doubtless true, and the
time has now come when we must al
work to that end. Public opinion
was with those who fought the Works
bill last winter, because of it's obvious
evils, but public opinion will swim:
in the other direction, if this elemen
becomes merely obstructive and &c
fuses to assist in any progress c
constructive character.
1.-The convention was much interest
ed in Senator Newlands' account .
the new State legislation in Nevada
1t represents a unique experiment il
State and national cooperation in tn
distribution of water. The State Eng
neer, as well as the water commissio
on the various streams; are nomin:
ted by the Secretary of the Interio
and appointed by the Governor. This
done as an evidence of good faith upo
the part of the State. and as guara'
tee that the method Of distributin
water shall accord with the spirit an
the letter of the National Irrigatio
Act. Would California be willing to
SO far? Senator Newland said the1
were some in Nevada who were il
clined to think at first, that it was
dangerous surrender of sovereignt
hut the general opinion was expresse
by one old irrigator who said: II tt
Governor appoints, that may be POI
tics. II the people elect, that may
the upper end Of the stream again
the lower end. But we can all tru
Uncle Sam
'sNevada's situation differs very m
terially from that Of California. In II
former State, development is extr
mely backward, and it is probap
that new works will be created almc