The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-10-02
Explains Water Rights.

Clesson s. Kinney of Salt Lake talked
instructively on the subject. Beneficial
Use as the Basis for Greater Uniformity
of State Laws Governing Water" He
said in part;
1t is a well settled principal Of the
law OF waters OF this country, and
one which has been decided by tho
supreme court OF tho United States
in a number Of cases, and strcnu-
ously insisted upon by the states. that
each state OF this Union has tho right
as sovereign To adopt such law or
laws governing and controlling the
distribution and use OF waters flow
ing or standing within its bound-
aries as II sees 1T. IT may deter
mine for Itself whether the common
law Of riparian rights or the arid re-
gion doctrine OF appropriation shall
control No state can legislate for
or impose its policy upon another
state. Neither can congress enforce
any particular rule In this respect
upon any state.
(Kansas y. Colorado eos U. S. As,
81 l.. Ed. 952, q Sup. CT. Rep. 655)
Laws Much Changed.
Although there has been no con-
current action. the laws oc the varl-
GUS states of the arid or semi arid
west, due largely TO the physical
have gradually been becoming moro
and more uniform with each other
This is true especially during the last
decade. The cause OF this Is that
many statutes when first adopted by
q certain state, were experimental in
their nature. Some have not stood
the test of time. and, therefore. have
been consigned to oblivion. Others
have been found adequate to meet
the situation and conditions OF the
state where they first originated. ana,
not only have been continued In force
In that state, but have also been
nillo tttpf F,f nil
states.
AS stated before. the great phyei-
cal cause tending toward uniformity
WAS the universal scarcity OF water
The question always being under
what law or system OF laws can
| given quantity Of water be made to
do the greatest duty? Hence tho
OF beneficial use. or. as afterwards
stated in statutory language In many
or the western states; Beneficial
use shall be The basis. the measure,
and the limit Of the right to the use
OF water in this state.
AS n concrete example OF the thor
ouefncss with which tho desert can D
routed when Irrigation Is applied In earn
est w, II. Holabird OF California enter
lhow the Imperial valley. formerly on
OF tho most dcsolate spots OF the south
cru California desert, has been made
J richly productive TcSloU
| prof Prank Adams. irrigation mana
ger OF the office OF experiment stations
United States department OF agrlcuitnirt Ll,i :.
con cluded the afternoon programme VII
simtistical report OF the present statu
OF irrigation districts.
VI president Newlands read a letter fror
Governor John shafroth Of Colorado. IN
viting the congress to meet next year
A resolution by Dr- John A. Widtso
ind orsing the Lever bill In the na.,ons
house, providing a fund for tho diIrusio
Of useful and practical Information o
subjects relating to agriculture and non,
| fJnited States. was introduced and re
ferred 10 the resolutions committee.
AppoinLment of committees or perms
mont organization, resolutions and ere
ldentIals were announced as follows;
| Commiit.c on permanent orEanixst'on-Ariron
" H. clark; Arkansas. John A. Fo1; Cnl,forni. ~.
| Tnbn Fairyeather: Colorado, Kurt srun~aIdi us
,riot OF Columbia. o. J. Blanchard; Florida. {
la. sevton Idaho. r. A. Cray; Illinois. L,
M y r. Coaiclloo; Kansas. j. o. Case; ~, . 10.
Iisiaus. George IL. Maxwell 'nia"'u''' f"'"'