Show A MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECT The irrigation question is of the utmost ut-most importance to Utah It always has been of great moment but just now comes forward as vitally so Changes are about to take place which will advance Utah materially The transaction will not only be political cut industrial and agricultural Irrigation is in this region necessarily necessar-ily associated with agriculture connected connec-ted with which are horticulture forestry for-estry and the raising of horses cattle and sheep Heretofore the ranges have been the chief home of the stock interests and hand feeding has been the exception It will have to become the rule By the scientific and economical storage and utilization of our water supplies vast areas now untillsd will be subdued and made to produce grain and grass and fruit through the moisture mois-ture conveyed by artificial means Reservoirs canals flumes and conduits will be built and floods of water now running to waste will be preserved and distributed to advantage This will eventually abolish to a very great extent ex-tent the range system of stoskraising and compel the home feeding of animals ani-mals raised for the market That will prove more profitable im every way when once fully established More land will be cultivated to its full capacity ca-pacity More tame feed will be produced pro-duced Stock raised and fattened in that way will command a higher price The farmer and the breeder will mutually mu-tually profit by the improvement And the state will greatly increase its wealth The waters of the state will rave to be controlled in such a way that the best possible results will be secured from all sources of supply The legislature legis-lature will have to enact laws to regulate reg-ulate irrigation No existing water rights should be infringed or impaired They should however be defined and every owner of a right to the use of water for irrigation whether an individual indi-vidual or an organized company should hold legal proof of title to such right There should also be a competent com-petent court or body recognized and appointed by the state to regulate this matter in the public interest and the preservation of private rights Too much water is now allowed to run to waste The land In many places is flooded till it is spoiled In other places too little is available by ordinary I ordi-nary means to redeem the sterile soil The whole subject requires systematic sys-tematic investigation and regulation There is great ignorance on the matter mat-ter in spite of the experiences of the past That must be dissipated by the light of reason and practical commonsense common-sense That irrigation affairs in Utah may receive the attention which is their due the Irrigation Commission for Utah under the auspices of the National Na-tional Irrigation Congress has been actively engaged in bringing Utah irrigation ir-rigation affairs into such a shape that the whole state will be benefited An organization has been effected which it is believed will be the means of advancing ad-vancing the cause of scientific and practical irrigation throughout Utah It is called the State Irrigation Association Asso-ciation The officers and various particulars par-ticulars connected with it may be learned from the account in another column of a meeting held on Saturday It should be understood that the purpose pur-pose of the Association is not to promote pro-mote any scheme foster any corpora toin interfere with any vested rights or to assume control of any other organization or-ganization or interest It is educa iional l advisory and < beneflclal in its character and seeks only the public welfare in the direction indicated by its title It is desirable that meetings shall be held in every important town In the territory to take steps for the organization of branch associations Also that the membership shall extend to every part of Utah One dollar a year payable in advance will secure to each member a copy of all the literature liter-ature of the Association which will prove of great value to every irrigator and tiller of the soil The people of Utah should unite in this good work and need not be afraid to join the Association With such men as Governor C W West Presidents Presi-dents Wilford Woodruff George Q Cannon and L W Shurtliff at the head and Col C S Stevenson as Secretary Sec-retary there need be no dubiety as to the purposes and stability of the Association Asso-ciation Closer attention must be paid than ever to irrigation affairs in Utah because they are intimately connected with all our agricultural interests and this Association will be the means of bringing them into active discussion and practical advancement |