i6o 



'2 HE IRRIGATION AGE. 



Commerce Commission. This commission cannot be 

 created too soon. It is high time that the national 

 authority over western problems was exerted, not as 

 opposing, but as a cooperative force, in connection 

 with the work of the States. Whatever may be the 

 future of the great public forests, and the irrigable 

 and pastoral lands, they are to-day the property, and 

 therefore the just concern, of the nation. They are 

 to be developed for the benefit of the American peo- 

 ple as a whole. There is no other enlightened nation 

 which would hesitate to deal with questions which 

 concern its future so largely and intimately. The re- 

 maining session of the Fifty-third Congress will be 

 but four months long. In that brief time nothing 

 which looks to definite and final results in the way of 

 an irrigation policy can pass. But if between now 

 and the middle of January public sentiment can be 

 organized, it ought to be possible to get legislation 

 creating the National Irrigation Commission, with a 

 modest appropriation. The whole force of the irri- 

 gation movement ought to be directed to this end 

 from now until the present Congress expires. No 

 reasonable objection can be urged to the commission, 

 and no reasonable excuse offered for delay. It will 

 take much time to obtain results after the commis- 

 sion is in operation. In the meantime, the way will 

 be prepared for action while the people are still de- 

 bating the character of future policies. 



A very pleasant and significant fea- 



Mexico 

 and ture of the Congress was the presence 



Canada. of Senor ybarolla, of Mexico, and 

 Messrs. Pearce and Dennis, of Canada. Irrigation is 

 a live and growing issue beyond our southern and 

 northern boundaries. The organized irrigation move- 

 . ment is now continental in the true sense. The three 

 great countries of North America march shoulder to 

 shoulder toward a common destiny. All of them will 

 utilize irrigation in large and effective ways. The 

 expression in the platform in favor of a temporary 

 commission to consider and adjudicate questions 

 arising over international waters merits the speedy 

 and favorable action of Congress. If these waters 

 are permitted to remain without consideration until 

 they shall involve States and countries in loss and 

 discord, when it is now so easy and simple a matter 

 to deal with them, what shall be said of our Ameri- 

 can statesmanship? 



The Denver Congress did not result in 

 Compromise j c ., , . 



Fostponed a definite compromise bejtween the 



One Year. f r j en( j s an( j opponents of cession, as 

 many had hoped. But it did result in progress to- 

 ward that much-desired end. The majority of the 

 Committee on Resolutions reported in favor of a law 

 which would permit States to select tracts for recla- 

 mation, make them the basis of security and colonize 

 them. The lands were to remain under federal 



ownership until, when reclaimed and settled, they 

 passed through the State to the individual settler. 

 There is no question but what this proposition could 

 have been carried by the brute force of the roll call, 

 but it would have resulted in discord. And harmony 

 was the very essence of the result desired by the 

 friends of compromise. Those who are afraid to trust 

 the States with any authority thought the proposition 

 savored too much of cession, while some of the 

 strongest friends of State control preferred that the 

 Carey law should be thoroughly tried before anything 

 more is asked or suggested. Under these circum- 

 stances the Committee on Resolutions withdrew sec- 

 tions four and five of the majority report and substi- 

 tuted a resolution referring back to the State Com- 

 missions, to report to the next Irrigation Congress, 

 the question of national policy, with instructions to 

 devise a plan looking to the reclamation of the arid 

 lands by the cooperation of national and State author- 

 ities. Something has been gained, because the sub- 

 ject has been put conspicuously before the country 

 and started on the road to settlement. Nothing has 

 been lost, since it is generally admitted that no legis- 

 lation of a definite character could be obtained from 

 Congress in the coming short session. 



No attempt is made in this editorial re- 

 The Men 



of view to deal with the many and pleasing 



Utah - personalities who came to the front in 

 the deliberations of the Third National Irrigation 

 Congress. But there is a special reason why men- 

 tion should be made of the delegation from Utah, 

 " the cradle of American irrigation." It was headed 

 by the Hon.. George Q. Cannon, who was unani- 

 mously chosen temporary chairman, and who was re- 

 ceived with hearty and long-continued applause on 

 being presented as "a great representative of the 

 most illustrious race of irrigators on this continent." 

 In view of the place which Utah occupies in the his- 

 tory of irrigation, the convention delighted to honor 

 the representative of the coming State. There is an- 

 other reason why Utah should be given prominence, 

 and this is, the fact that her industrial system is gen- 

 erally recognized as offering the best basis for the de- 

 velopment of homes for the millions. This system 

 was described very fully in Mr. Cannon's opening 

 speech, when he told the story of the small farm, of 

 land division and of the common ownership of water, 

 The ideas which his people have practically illus- 

 trated are the ideas which are to prevail hereafter, 

 and with their growth in popular favor, the virtues of 

 the Mormon people are certain to shine with de- 

 served luster, while many unpleasant recollections 

 will be softened or forgotten. The Wyoming inci- 

 dent, on whose account Governor Osborne and Mr. 

 William Penn Rogers, of California, experienced 

 hysterics for a year past, did not materialize at Den- 



