| Show THE WORK OF THE irrigation CONGRESS THE irrigation congress performed good work during its three days session in this city the object in view is praiseworthy whether the plans devised are founded in the deepest wisdom perhaps to is open to doubt what utah would do with her arid and lands if they were ceded to her by the government opens a question that involves many difficulties could capital sufficient be obtained to supply the needed water for irrigating them would not the boring of artesian wells and the construction st of storage appliances involve an outlay so great that it would be would it not be better for the government to retain possession of the lands devise means and provide funds for the production of the water and then sell the lands to settlers sett lert wedo we do not pretend to answer these questions in the affirmative or to say that the scheme devised by the congress is not a good one we simply put these queries forward for the general public to ponder upon one point decided by a majority vote in committee of the whole we th think ink was well taken it was the provision in regard to the schools the postponement pon ement of any benefits from the school lands sections sixteen and thirty six until statehood to is achieved has always appeared to us absurd A territory is certainly much more in need of help for public schools than a state would be with its increased wealth and diversified and matured means of income the proposition therefore to give to the school funds a secondary interest in the proceeds of sales of arid lands was a good adne one appl applying to the terri equally with the states to receive the benefits of the measure the amendment introduced in committee of the whole by delegate W H king of provo prove which carried by a large majority of the committee committe ewas was infinitely preferable to the original resolution as prepared by delegate C C goodwin which only provided for of surplus funds to the schools after the arid lands had bad been reclaimed there would be very eleft for the schools by way of a surplus JI the introduction of the amendment was the cause of a breeze that threatened to raise ill feeling but it was dissipated before anything serious occurred the congress rejected the whole resolution so the dispute was without avail but the question involved was waa brought forward in another shape and this shows that the california delegation in opposing the clause refer ring fa the schools had bad no desire to do injustice to utah or any other territory it was a california delegate who in produced trod this separate resolution which carried in the congress resolved that it la Is the sense of th convention lat that the committee selected to propose and present to congress the memorial of this thia convention respecting public lands should ask as a preliminary to the he cession of all the land in the territories in accordance with the resolutions of the convention a liberal grant to said territories and to the states to be formed of the public lands to be de voted to public school purposes like all other congresses the disposition to display oratory rather than transact business was manifested sted and much ability in that respect was exhibited hibi ted but after aalthe all the discussion of the main question was productive of it ik good understanding of many import ant details and the necessities of the arid and regions of the country will be placed in good shape to be presented to congress we think the project which started with the Gover norand to whom much credit is due has so far been success ful and that while the irrigation question has been well ventilated the visiting delegates have received favora favorable bli impressions of our territory and its people |
