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Show la ds, and such laud should be ' e C ', the people in copiiio t i-irr-.i lands aud be used o y i tent as not injure t to :,- the Irrigable lands. The control of ti.e pasturage lands in the interest of irrigation is far more iu:poitaut than their control ia the iuttie.-t of stock raising. If the above propositions are sound, it becomes importaut to decide how they can be best carried into effect. The goncrnl niaiiBguiiuit of this subject is now n; for uiseiijaicn in the natinal congress. By some it is proposed tha' the whole subject should be turned over to the states for solution, and that the land should be granted to the stiites under proper conditions and restrictions. By others it 13 proposed that the general legislation should be national, that the control should be left in the hands of the general government Which of these methods is the better is a question to be settled by statesmen guided as they will be to a greater or less degree, by the expression of the opinions of the people most deeply interested inter-ested therein: As to which of these methods should prevail, I have not expressed ex-pressed an opinion. I have been interested inter-ested in the collection of the facls and the discovery of the general principles and have left it to others to consider the legal and pol'lical methods to be pursued, pur-sued, and hence am neither an advocate of state control nor of national control and omy nrge that ultimately there must be direct control and that local self government is the wisest and bett for the people. "It will be seen," concludes Major Powell, "that a policy is advocated which contemplates the control of the arid lands including irritable lands, pasturage lands, and timber lands by local self-government, the rights and duties relating thereto being distributed distribut-ed to about 150 great irrigation districts dis-tricts that cau be easily defined by natural nat-ural boundaries. Whether these principles princi-ples are wise or unwiBe Is left to the judg merit of those who are interested in the subject to the people themselves What is wrong should bs condemned; what is right should be accepted. It is not fair to attribute to my opinion which I do not hold. It is not fair to accuse me of acts which I have not done. I have epeut much of my life in the endeavor to discover the facts and principles essentia) to the best development devel-opment of the industries of the trid west. From first to last it has been my wish that the country khonld bo settled and improved to such a manner as to givo to the people the greatest number of homes and the greatest prosperity to agriculture, mining and manufacture. manufact-ure. I own no lands, no interest in mines, and have no pecuniary interest of any character whatever in any part of the country. My Interest ia that of a public officer charged with the duties of surveying and reporting upon the natural values inherib.7 in the lands, mines, and watercourses. My associations, associa-tions, thoughts and wishes ate largely identified with the west; I am deeply interested in its prosperity, and I am anxious that my opinions shall not be misrepresented and misunderstood. "The great west is the laud of my delight. de-light. I admire the sheen of it- mountains, moun-tains, the mnsic of its falling waters the billows of its broad valleys, and the vast perspective of its glowing plains; but more than all and higher than al', I love its enterprising, liberty li ving people, and have a never-faltering faith in the transcedant civilization which is arisiug in the arid region." RESERVOIR SITES. Corporations May Carry, btt the People Our the, Water Under date of March 25:11, M.-.jot Powers, having ia charge the selection and surveying of arid lands and reservoir reser-voir sites in the west, sent a long communication to The Tribune of Silt Lake as a reply to unjust uibrepresent-atious. uibrepresent-atious. "It has been stated," lie says, "that I have urged upon congress the propriety of the government constructing construct-ing irrigating works throughout the arid region; and again, it has been stated that I have done all in my power to prevent the government from constructing con-structing such works. The fact is, that I have said little on this subject and have made no active effort in the mat ter, but in reply to questions I have expressed my opinion that it is hopeless to expect the government to engage in this enterprise," For a year (1S7G-7) the major was engaged on a commission to codify the and laws of the United States. The knowledge obtained added to previous experience caused him to form I he opinion the question of water rights was one of profound interest especially to the west. Some system to define and maintain the right to the use and storage of water was neces-ary, aud each locality presents diff orent problems; also.running streams during the irrigating irrigat-ing period was one question and those streams occasionally going dry presented present-ed another complication. For these and other reasons which readily come forward, the major believes it unwise to attempt a general code or uniform laws, but rather let local districts manage the matter by local laws and local customs. The whole western country can be divided into about 130 irrigation districts dis-tricts so that each district can have a body of irrigable lands, a source of water Bupply, a catchment area for that supply, a body of pasturage lands and a body of timber lands. If when organized, and the whole subject of irrigation turned over to these district for local self government, the best interests in-terests of the people wou'd bo secured. The people should make their own laws governing the use of timber, the use of pasturage lands, and the ownership of water rights, and the people occupying tlialandsas farmers and desiring to irrigate should control all the questions in the interests of agriculture. The work of suryin-bas be'V'i carried car-ried forward until npward of 100 sitts for reservoirs have betn located and dedicated to this serviee. The streams are being ganged so ibe amount of water capable of being stored will be made known. Briefly the propositions and principles which should guide tho agriculturalists in the arid west in their endeavors to develop farming interests are: 1 The whole subject should be turned over to the people to be controlled controll-ed by local self government. 2 There are about 150 natural districts, dis-tricts, each one containing a bjdy of-timber of-timber lands, a body of pastnrage lands, a body of irrigable lands and a source of of water supply. Each of theso districts dis-tricts should have an independent organization or-ganization and make its owu laws to govern all these values. The district ean be easily defined by natural bound-, aries. 3 Each district should organize by electing its own officers and establishing establish-ing its own court, with general supervision super-vision by state officers aud the right to appeal to a state court. 4 These districts should have the right to select and designate the lands to be irrigated in soeh a manner as to economize the water to the greatest advantage; ad-vantage; bat the right of the present farmers and landholders should be primarily aud permanently secured. 5 In snch districts the people should make their own laws governing the distribution of water and regulating its use so as to avoid waste, 6 When it is possible, the farmers should construct their own irrigation works, so as to be independent of water companies. 7 When it is net-essary to employ water companies as it may be when large streams are to be controlled or great reservoirs constructed, such companies com-panies should be authorized to store and carry water, bnt not be the owners of water. The farmers should not buy water or water rights of the companiei bnt only contract for the delivery of water; The companies should be carriers, car-riers, not owners. 8 The companies should have no right to decide to whom the water shall be delivered. Such rights should be in the hands of the farmer. But, on the other hand, the companies should have right to collect proper charges for delivering water, as per contract. When the stress of dry season an in sufficient amount of water is procurable, procura-ble, how this water shall be distributed should be controlled by the officers elected by people and not by the company. com-pany. 9 The people of each district should have control of the forest of the district, in order that t bey may properly use the timber in their industries properly protect pro-tect it from fire and waste, say how the timber shall be cut lij order best to protect the water supply. 10 The people n each district should have the right to control the pasturage |