Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-10-19
DRAINAGE GIVEN
FIRST PLACE IN
LAST SESSION
International Irrigation Con-
greSS Discusses Methods Of
Retaining Swamp Lands
in Yesterdays Meeting,
rsr .os@,"s ,ousn.l SPECIAL Ls.sso ~rsn

FL IdSO, bCt. lN,-DrdlnuGe re-
placed irrigation on the program OF
the International Irrigation congress
here today John Nolen, state re-
clamation commissioner of Missouri,
spoke for the National Drainage con-
gress and urged a joint meeting of
the international Irrigation congress
and the National Drainage congress
at an early date to consider national
! legislation to aid in the reclamation
Of arid and swamp lands.
He said the warning countries of
Europe were now spending enough
money in one day to reclaim thou
sands Of acres of swamp and arid
land in the United States and urged
the support of legislation appropriate
ing the money for this reclamation
work.
ID. W. Murphy OF Denver. Colo, en-
gineer in charge OF drainage for the
United States reclamation service,
spoke at the session today on the
drainage Of irrigated lands in the
west and declared that the drainage
of irrigated lands which had been
water-loggcd was even more import
ant than the placing of water on
these lands by means of irrigation
projects
The drainage OF water-logged
lands under irrigation projects is vital
to the life of the project" Mr.
Murphy said. THE drainage of ir-
rigated lands which have become
water-logged, increases the taxable
property of a district restores conf
dence in the entire district and pre-
vents failures by farmers who have
invested their entire capital in the
lands, he said.
Percy A. Cuper assistant state en-
gineer of oregon, spoke at the ses-
sion today on AN Interpretation of
the oregon Water Code by the SUI
preme Court Of the United States and
its Effect Upon the Water Codes Of
other States"
oregon has the best water law in !
the United States" asserted Mr.. Cup
per. THE highest tribunal in the /
land has placed the stamp Of its APP
proval Of the oregon system of F,
water titles and said in unmistakable !
terms That it debnr6s no man OF his /
without just compensation, /
denies to no man the equal protec- /
tion Of the law and violates in no |
way the fourteenth amendment to /
the federal constitution guaranteeing /
such protection Mr. Cuper declared. /
Several important points were de-
eidcd," continued MI Cupper. where /
the entire Oregon system was taken .
to the supreme court of the United f.
States in the case of the Pacific Live ,
Stock company versus Lewis ct al
"The supreme court upheld the
district court in declining to take
over the water boards !.
on the application of a I
citizen of California; it also followed 4
the state courts Interpretation of the /
state board relative to the proceed Il
ngs, declaring them administrative 1
md not judicial. and it also held that 4
lata collected by the state engineer /
'ould be considered as evidence.
"All the water code states are in
crested in the judicial point in that
/ water right determination is not
to the federal court on
he ground of adverse citizenship. In /
.irtually all states having special /
tribunals for the determination of i
water rights the state courts have held |
he tribunals to be administrative in |
haracter exercising quasi judicial
unCtions II
The Colorado system Of adiudieat-