46 



THE IREIGATION AGE. 



In further pursuance of this wisely established 

 policy of preserving the public domain in the interest 

 of the entire people we urge the repeal of the timber 

 and stone act, of the desert land law and of the com- 

 mutation clause of the homestead act. 



As a substitute for the timber and stone act we 

 favor the adoption of a bill passed by the upper branch 

 of Congress at the last session, repealing the said act 

 and providing for the sale of stumpage and for the 

 application of the proceeds thereof to the reclama- 

 tion fund. 



As a substitute for the desert land law and the 

 commutation clause of the homestead law we recom- 

 mend an arid homestead law, which shall limit the 

 entry of any one individual to one hundred and sixty 

 acres, which shall permit a reasonable intervening pe- 

 riod for reclamation before requiring continuous resi- 

 dence, provided, however, that after reclamation the 

 occupant shall be required to live in the land five years 



and urge the several Western S'tates and Territories 

 to adopt legislation providing for the formation of irri- 

 gation districts, which shall be able to raise funds by 

 the sale of bonds, said districts to be organized only 

 upon approval by the Secretary of the Interior, who 

 shall employ the engineers of the reclamation service 

 in the construction of district irrigation work. By 

 this means the reclamation fund will be supplemented 

 to the extent of millions of dollars by every State 

 and Territory, while the benefits of National adminis- 

 tration will be vastly extended. We commend this 

 subject to the earnest attention of the Legislatures of 

 our Western States and Territories. 



It was generally understood that the Maxwell crowd 

 would urge the passage of resolutions favoring the 

 repeal of the commutation clause of the homestead act, 

 the desert land act and the timber and stone act, but 

 it is not to be supposed that these resolutions will have 



New Union Passenger Station, E] Paso, Texas. 



before securing title as settlers are required to do under 

 the National irrigation law. We also recommend the 

 repeal of all acts permitting the selection of lieu lands, 

 including any and all laws authorizing the issuance of 

 any kind of land scrip, and recommend legislation for 

 the valuation and purchase by the Government, if 

 necessary, of all lands in private ownership within the 

 limits of the forest reserves. 



We fully recognize that the funds now available 

 are inadequate to the realization of the National irri- 

 gation policy upon a scale commensurate with the op- 

 portunities of the West and the needs of the Nation, 

 and we favor a non-interest bearing loan by the Gov- 

 ernment to the reclamation fund, to be used in the 

 construction of projects approved by the Secretary of 

 the Interior and to be repaid by the owner of lands 

 benefited, in accordance with the provisions of the 

 present law. 



But we would not have the West depend alone 

 upon National aid in the development of its resources, 



much weight with the national congress in view of the 

 expos^ made of the motives of Maxwell and his crowd. 



The following resolutions were adopted favoring 

 the Elephant Butte dam site for the reclamation of the 

 Rio Grande Valley: 



At a meeting of the representatives of the Eio 

 Grande Valley of New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, in 

 attendance upon the Twelfth National Irrigation Con- 

 gress, held at El Paso, Texas, November 15 to 18, 

 1904, the following resolutions were unanimously 

 adopted, the Mexican delegates not voting because of 

 absence of instructions : 



Whereas, the question of an adequate water supply 

 for domestic and irrigation purposes for the Eio 

 Grande Valley has for years been a question of the 

 highest importance and an issue concerning the pub- 

 lic interests paramount to all others; and 



