1 5 8 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



estry is also advocated. The portion of the report 

 which deals with the physical conditions of North 

 Dakota, its water supplies, irrigable lands, and the 

 methods by which the two are to be brought together, 

 is both valuable and interesting, and we hope to see 

 it published fully hereafter. The chairman of the 

 North Dakota Commission traveled extensively in 

 order to obtain information for this report, and the 

 thanks of the Irrigation Congress are due him for 

 care he has bestowed on the work. 



The report of the New Mexico Commis- 

 cjtico 

 is Con- sion, largely the work of Mr. Mortimer 



servative. j Downing, is of a very conservative 

 character. It describes the history of irrigation de- 

 velopment in that ancient territory. The repeal of 

 the Desert Land Law is demanded, a law favored 

 "giving individuals or corporations a right to reclaim 

 land and to own it in fee simple on proof of reclama- 

 tion." It also favors a law giving States and territo- 

 ries the right to select tracts for reclamation, but in- 

 sists upon the necessity of federal supervision of 

 works, whether public or private. The report closes 

 with a most cordial invitation for the next Congress 

 to assemble at Albuquerque, an invitation which was 

 accepted by a handsome majority vote. 



Terras 



The report of the Texas Commission, 

 .Presents signed by Chairman J. J. Walker, is brief 

 Two Views. b ut p O j n ted. It favors the division and dis- 

 tribution of interstate streams by the federal govern- 

 ment under a national commission, and the retention 

 under federal control of all main water sources and 

 catchment basins. It favors the cession of the lands 

 and the speedy adoption of a policy of forest preser- 

 vation. It favors the limitation of the amount of land 

 to be taken by a single individual to eighty acres. 

 The Texas delegation at Denver, appointed by the 

 governor, endorsed the report, except the recom- 

 mendation for cession. On this point it said : "We 

 believe that all national lands should be reclaimed, 

 if possible, but kept under the control of the national 

 government for homestead purposes for settlers, to 

 the end that the same may pass into the hands of the 

 small farmer instead of into that of corporations or 

 large holders." 



The Oregon Commission presents a re- 

 from S port which furnishes evidence of careful 

 Oregon. t h oug ht and faithful work on the part of 

 Chairman Brigham and associates. It begins with a 

 full description of the irrigable lands and water sup- 

 ply of arid Oregon, one of the most promising dis- 

 tricts in Western America. It also describes the 

 soil, climate and range of productions. This part of 

 the report is worthy of wide reading and study, and it 

 is hoped that it will be made available for this purpose 

 in early future. The recommendations for legislation 



are clearly defined. An appropriation of not less 

 than $5,000,000, to be apportioned to the several 

 States and Territories according to their area of 

 available unreclaimed lands, to be expended in the 

 prosecution of surveys, is earnestly advocated. This 

 money, says the report, should be expended by a 

 board of five State Commissioners, who should be 

 charged with the careful investigation of all ques- 

 tions pertaining to waters and lands. When the re- 

 sults of this investigation are available, 4,000,000 

 acres should be ceded to each State for purposes of 

 reclamation. Stringent forestry laws are also favored. 

 An enlightened system of State administration, based 

 upon the Wyoming laws in the main, is also urged. 

 Perhaps it may be said that the Oregon report sur- 

 passes all others in the quality of clear thinking and 

 careful definition of conclusions. 



The report of the Utah Commission was 

 Much 

 Credit prepared under peculiar circumstances. 



Due Utah. y a ser j es o f misunderstandings the 

 commission was not organized until late in August, 

 but its work was entirely successful and its report 

 was presented to the congress in the form of a hand- 

 somely printed pamphlet of twenty-four pages. It 

 was prepared by Col. Chas. L. Stevenson, of Salt Lake 

 City, acting under the authority of a commission 

 consisting of William H. Rowe, chairman; Samuel 

 Fortier, L. W. Shurtliff, L. Holbrook, C. E. Want- 

 land and C. W. Aldrach. Very great credit is due 

 Mr. Wantland for arousing public interest in the 

 work of the commission and making it possible to se- 

 cure so creditable a report in so short a time. The 

 commission reviews the interesting history of irriga- 

 tion in Utah, and then presents, in the form of com- 

 pact statistical tables, a number of topics relating to 

 water and land in that Territory. It also reviews the 

 policy of the government relating to land donations 

 and appropriations for internal improvements. The 

 tenor of the report is favorable to State control. Utah 

 will receive a magnificent donation of lands with the 

 realization of statehood, and, both in her constitutional 

 convention and the next session of the legislature, her 

 people must consider irrigation policies as the first 

 and foremost of all public questions. 



The report of Dr. N. G. Blalock, chair- 

 Washington , , ,, T , . ,-. 



Favors man of the Washington Commission, 



Small Farms. s h ows that irrigation in his State is a 

 new but extremely promising industry. It is going 

 forward with strides and bounds, and it is already 

 claimed that the small farm is the coming institution 

 in that State. The report shows that 100,000 acres are 

 already under ditch and 40,000 acres under cultiva- 

 tion. All the physical conditions are favorable to ex- 

 tensive development. The commission believes that 

 the making of millions of new homes is the most urg- 

 ent work before the people of this country to-day, 



