The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-01-14
CONVENTION CALLED TO cONSID-
Err WHAT is NECESSARY.
Federal Government Will Not I'm.
dertake Any Extensive Work i'm
the State of Washington Until
Several Defects Have Been Rem.
edied.


tlon convention to be held in this city
on Saturday, February ID. The COM
mercial bodies of Spokane, Tacoma,
ALA Walla, NorthY akinma, Ritz
vile, Pasco., Ellensburg, Prosser,
Olympia Everett ,Bellingham. Wenat-
chez and Concully will be invited to
send two delegates each, to meet
similar delegation ofrm this city.
The convention is called to discuss
Legislation required to make it possible
for the United States government to
undertake irrigation work in Washing
ton. Government officials have refused
to undertake AMY new work as long as
the irrigation laws of Washington are
| In the present incomplete condition.
1t is proposed at the convention to rec
ommend legislation that will cure ex-
listing defects.
Under the present statutes any per
son or corporation may file water rights
against any stream or lake in the state,
irrespective of the fact that the guam
tity of water claimed does not exist in
the stream and cannot be developed.
There is no central control of water
rights in this state and the riparian
land owners rights have not been de-
fined satisfactorily. Both defects must
be remedied before the federal govern
ment will take any definite action in
carrying out proposed irrigation enter
prises.
Government officials are making an
exhaustive study Of the country lying
in the Big Bend" of the Columbia
river, extending from Spokane to Pas
CO, with view to irrigating the arid
lands of that section. Until the state
laws are amended the government in
vestigations will not go beyond the
point of establishingt he feasibility of
the plan.
Before asking the chamber of Com
merce to call the convention in Febru-
airy the committee on reclamation of
Grid lands had several meetings. A
conference was held with T. A. Noble
one of the government engineers en-
gagged in examining irriagtion projects,
and the whole subject was thoroughly
canvassed. The state convention is
suggested to agree upon such amend
ments as may be necessary to the state
laws.
No Central Control.
1.-THE difficulty in Washington is
that there is no central control over
water rights" explained E. F. Blaine,
chairman of the Chamber of Com
merce committee. "Therei no state
engineer of water rights, no commits
sion of water rights, nor water mas
tiers. The law in this state recognizes
the impounding of surplus waters, but
there is no provision for either private
parties or the federal government &C
curing title to lakes or impounded
water. There are lakes in this state
that form natural reservoirs and others
that might be developed that point.
ITO the present time the supreme
court of Washington has never passed
upon the question as to whether ripar-
ian rights in arid land districts exist
the same as they do in common law.
The United States government wants
statutory declaration to the effect
that they do not exist. To state that
they do exist is to take a position en-
tirely inconsistent with the entire
scheme of irrigation. 1t is not intend
ed to destroy the rights of present ri
parian owners, but the government, in
order to carry out its irrigation
schemes, must have the right to cou-
troll the waters of the needed streams.
"The state has jurisdiction over
most of the riversa nd lakess Within
is borders. There are some rivers ana
some lakes that might technically be
called naviagble, and as such pass I'M
der the control of the federal govern.
ment. butt n thea rid land district Of
the statecontrols mosta valuable streams
and consequently remedial Legislation
is demanded.