Show Urgent and Right In these columns recently we published a short story regarding the Indian bureau having sent a aman aman aman man to the basin to inquire into the matter of Indian lands untaxed ed and the relation this wealth bears to the total in both Duchesne and Uintah counties This is a move In the right direction In irrigation business the government government gov gov- bureau leaders stand up and say in substance This is federal federal federal fed fed- eral property According to article article article art art- artI I icle IV Sec 3 of the thc constitution I of the nation congress has power to make the rules and regulations concerning the property the nation nation nation na na- na- na tion owns within the state But these same men do not seem to notice other sentences in that same section And nothing in this constitution I shall be so construed as to prejudice prejudice prejudice dice any claim of the United States or ox of any particular state Please note the last clause Or of any particular state Water Vater is not property in the usual usual usual us us- ual meaning of that word and ac- ac to the law of the arid west as upheld by federal courts as well as by state courts Here USE i is the factor The government government govern govern- ment may own the land indefinitely indefinite indefinite- iy ly with or without use but when it comes to water we do not believe believe be be- lieve this rule wi will hold It will I Inot not do for citizens or even for the state I But this taxable non-taxable land Is another another another an an- other matter In this basin is a large area that escapes the responsibilities responsibilities res res- of governmental expense expense expense ex ex- pense so far as the state is con con- That means that the nation nation nation na na- na- na tion also suffers That which helps the state perforce helps the na na- na- na tion Let us use all fair means to secure approval of some settlement settlement settlement settle settle- ment wherein these lands may bear a more just share of the cost of state government The Uintah Basin needs this money this cooperation Such help will cause us to feel that we are not so unjustly treated or neglect neglect- ed No doubt our delegation in congress already has helped along this line We need further cooperation cooperation cooperation coop coop- by our representatives at I Washington I |