Show IRRIGATORS r STATE CONVENTION Inor I. I nor or Welts Wells Calls Cons Con- Con s to Order With legates From Every Slon tion ion of the State I- I Intensely Utah are arc he people of devela devel- devel seIble elle gin possible d In the fullest po of their water a and d protection as demonstrated at the opening convention contention this after- after I gathering almost I legates ates began before the time set for meeting i ri G v. v Wells called for order at filled AssemblY hall ball was welt well from every county tate tat m legates were seated according BO Box Elder Beaver and the front of the hall han inS Ti back hack to Weber and Wa Wa- rear opening address was an tion of ot the questions that the of ot the State a ned many valuable rances of Michigan invoked e upon the de delibera- delibera ibera- ibera he convention ent enry enry Smith was elected tem tem- airman ln and Frank K Neb Neb- oary secretary Wells elIs Address oils Ells said in part alters concerning which we welt lt Altogether gether have doubtless apr ap- ap you r u as they have to me as ash h very forefront of the questing questing ques ques- ting to our temporal welfare learned by precept and e ex- ex h hat f In the midst of coun council ll and in this case all will result from our ot only safety but security Continuance o of conditions will agree are most tonly t- t tonly only is it expedient and its tt tit we confer with each other r. r n be accomplished by mu- mu Vor and the appliance of Inoperative Inoperative in- in operative agencies but also able ble that we arrange for the theo theon o on Ot to the State and national powers of a showing of the with th a r request quest for such aid ir gement as may properly ig m Subject of irrigation is one onen can cn n sc scarcely de devote ote too much to for one reas reason n because Ys n notwithstanding the which most of us have havethe Ithe the he practical phases phase of or It ew new developing thus showIe show show- Ie be i In i some measure an occult demonstrated science That mainspring of our prosperity t fa truism and as such needs on while Its value as an proposition is illustrated to tont tot nt t by Iy the numerous long bit- bit expensive pensive lawsuits regarding Water ater rights It being at last l 1 whether nether this or mining liti- liti the more extensively and ex- ex in Certainly Utah her full share of both and andl l Indicative in a c certain sense both since people seldom e er things which have little t I t all over those having hus it is demonstrated that regarded by our citizens asal as as- jual al in value to the precious I Arid d Region t tent of the arid and land region States is almost Incon- Incon id can only be approximately End nd what makes it a mat- mat concern to us is that of 9 f It lies west and southwest s url river Utah having her notwithstanding the longtime long time Ume during which the work tion has been going steadily In this connection It Is to be hat reclamation does not after fter ter being once ke Ike the human family there s such ch thing as stagnation it so long as the It is continued and work ceases the land begins i It must also be borne it any ny amount of work with with- of Water nater Is apt Evall vail and that element has hasie ie ithe the great essential to our Ire e Lame r practical Irrigators assem- assem It requires no argument to toMie the Mie fact that our irrigation Jame ame and our laws are Imater imater im- im ater is of such substantial lally in dry seasons such as us that our lawe law- law ve ye e hitherto approached the ith th the utmost trepidation preferring to bear the ills an au an to fly to others they know of adequate laws Ifor the proper distribution t rs within the State has b be blike like making laws to regu- regu of the blood that o 0 our bodies such Importance ed to the subject in the past had but taken the human example and dispensed the tha hundredth part the Jus- Jus accuracy c which na nature ture has provide the circulation of through the natural alle alleys ys ro lot of the body what a i mar- mar it would have ha been nt else t here however to crit- crit L They have had tad le Je ts to deal with and have done the best they could time mme prescribed for their de- de 1111 These e rei remarks arks are only in- in Illustrate with what fear I J ling ng the subject of irrigation of fOre ore been considered ed even no h have na been especially cho- cho to represent them In nl Nor has this feeling ned d if altogether to past Leg- Leg that the press j j upon n the various subjects at the hands of j Legislatures I-Legislatures has seen fit piote note of warning that when the Jle subject of irrigation the to go slow that slow that perI pern per- per I nuch n ch as the matter was Uh Uh u such enormous conlee conse- conse e people and particularly inal nal appropriators of f water We be better after alter all to leave j on Page 6 6 Inu Practical Irrigators Continued from Page 1 conditions pretty much as they are areto areto areto are are- to let well enough alone etc Feeling Was High Indeed so high has the feeling run at times when new laws have been proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed that it has not been uncommon to hear such remarks made by old and otherwise law-abiding law citizens as that if it the Legislature should undertake to legislate their water rights away Vay they would have no hesitancy in shouldering th their lr muskets and taking th the law Into their own hands It may as well be confessed that while all of us have have- sensed the necessity of doing something something something some some- some some- thing to improve existing conditions ns none of u uS- uS us have haie known exactly the thing to fo o do The result has been confusion confusion con con- fusion lawsuits trouble and expense In many Instances I I regret to say the rule of conduct has been that the the themen men menat menat at the head of the stream have helped themselves and let the fellows below take what was left len Though in many parts of the State Irrigation districts districts' have been formed and the water has ha's s been distributed with care and consequent conse conse- consequent quent satisfaction to water users the foregoing conditions speaking generally general general- ly are not exaggerated Topics to Be Discussed While no papers have been prepared by assignment a list of topics has been arranged for discussion Among the delegates from the south who arrived today was William D. D Livingston Livington Liv Liv- In ingston ington ton of Manti Mantl He says the people peole of his section are vitally interested inthe Inthe in inthe the questions to be considered by the convention and ar are united in their opposition opposition opposition op op- op- op position to the measure now under consideration consideration consideration con con- in Congress The plan now before Congress said Mr Livingston might do for Wyoming or Idaho where there are large unclaimed unclaimed unclaimed un un- un- un claimed tracts of land but It would not be suitable to Utah unless perhaps Inthe in inthe inthe the large districts in Grand and Emery counties Utah Is well weli populated and the only unclaimed lands outside of of those counties I have just mentioned are aie arid lands We want to see those arid lands reclaimed and added to the contiguous lands already under cultivation tion thereby doubling the tillable area of th State Need Storage Reservoirs We re need storage reservoirs for trie the Uie waters that are now going to waste during during dur dur- ing the spring thaws With proper management management man man- this water would be amply for the purpose of reclaiming the arid land But Instead of the Government Government Government Govern Govern- ment doing this under a general plan of irrigation we ve would prefer to secure such financial aid from the Government as would enable us to carry out our own plans This help might be given In the form of bounties or by means of loans at low rates of interest It Is almost ImpossIble ble for the farmers of our State with their small holdings to carry out these expensive plans of or irrigation without governmental aid lId We have already presented our views to Senator Kearns and he is so much In accord with our arguments that he has used some of them In his presentation of the matter to the committee of ot the Senate Syracuse Mans Man's Views I W. W J. J Parker of Syracuse Is one of the representatives from Davis county Discussing the convention today he said I IThe The great trouble In dealing with this question of irrl Irrigation comes come from the fact that we have had men engaged engaged en- en in legislative illative work who did not understand the needs of the farmers rs and who were not practical If we can Cn T work rk together secure Irrigators unanimity unanImity unan unan- of opinion as M to Ing Sli 5 n our ur most pressIng pressIng pressing press- press needs and present the questions of or the remedy to men who understand the f subject legislation i I r think we may mav obtain some that will be of benefit to us It It Is certain that the litigation over the question involved in conflicting Irrigation Irrigation ir Ir- Ir laws Jaws now in operation Js s a a. source of ot great expense and endless an an- Favors National Laws Le La Grand Young one of the delegates said I am In favo Cavo favor pf of national legislation I for the reclamation of the arid lands of the West Vest I think the convention should take some steps to encourage such legislation The Government should build the reservoirs but the ownership should ultimately revert to the people Utah now has enough legislation legIslation leg leg- on irrigation affairs It is my opinion that litigation will increase with legislation The will be productive of much good An interchange of ideas I II I and a thorough O discussion U of their r VIr g J needs e s will go a long way toward a se securing securing ing concerted act action on f Convention Notes Weber county came to th the front with a strong showing twenty representative men being In attendance Gov W Wells Wells' ells ells' address was listened to with the most careful attention and at Its conclusion he received d a most hearty and spontaneous tribute of applause One of the Governor Governors utterances that met with decided was Under existing conditions our system of or irrigation tion Is hampered In a large degree by impotent impotent impotent im im- im- im potent and Ineffective laws |