The herald., 1893-10-14
POWELL PROFFERS A PILL,
The Major Astonishes the Irri-
\ cation Congress.
Comprehensive Address to the
People Issued.
1oms Lively Discussfons-Gosper Calls
Hinton Impertinent and IL
Promptly Called Down.
N Routine Work.

Ieet and most enjoyable 80 far.
W The platform, or address to the peo-
&le, was read by Delegate Lionel Shell
1pn and was continually interrupted by
De loud and prolonged cheering which
feeted the many sections which pleased
Ihe irrigators.
W Colonel Richard Hinton was wound
pp for the day, and the manner in
which he jumped on and off the plat
Iorm, yelled, fumed and twisted his
Iennysonian locks made many younger
delegate perspire with envy. There
VAS, however. a happy look on his face
Which showed plainly that he had
mined his point and that his presence
- the committee was not in vain.
The international irrigation conven-
lion was called to order at :45 am,
the Hon.. j. S. Emery OF Kansas, presi-
dent, in the chair.
Mr.. j. p. Leslie of Santa Ana was
delegated to take the names OF the Cali
fornia delegates 80 that the names may
~ placed in proper form on the min
uteH.
III Hon. E. r. Moses of Kansas an
uounced the presence OF George L. Rouse
aH delegate from the Wichita chamber
Of commerce.
j. s. Vanderwerker, delegate from
Arizona, announced the. arrival OF DR..
George Goodfellow of Tucson.
W j. @. Beattie suggested that there
ohould be committee to arrange as low
Rates aa possible for the coming winter
rom eastern states to California. The
matter was placed in the hands OF the
Executive committee. a.A a
M Gustave de Laveaux OF Los Angeles
was called to the platform and, address
ing the congress, said in concluding
France is spending millions of dollars
in reforeEting her plains and hills that
have become devasted through sheer
waste. Forestry is subject deeply re-
lated to irrigation and must be given
much attention in this country ere long.
A motion was then passed requesting
foreign delegates to submit literature ON
4 the subject of reforesteration, the
same to be made part of the proceed
ings of the congress and printed there
with.
Thu foreign representatives were re-
'quested to send to the chamber of COM
merce reports OF their countries on for
estry work. They promised to do so and
Qs
There was also loud applause.
Anderson of California made an address
in advocacy of the government under
taking irrigation works to reclaim the
arid region and to build large works
which could not be made by individual
effort. These extensive works should be
put in so that men OF limited means can
buy land and be at no ex pense in getting
water to it except connecting with the
main ditch. A
THE COMMITTEES ADDRESS.
At 10 :30a.m Governor Sheldon, chair
man OF the committee on resolutions,
read the report OF that committee as fol-
lows:
To the People OF the United states:
The International Irrigation congress-,
assembled at Los Angeles, CAL, for the
five days beginning October 10, 1898,
composed of delegates from this and
foreign countries, announces the follow
ing statement OF it's views as the delib-
crate conclusions Of the representatives
Of the western states and territories:
!, Writing to an American friend many
years ago, Macauley said "Your ma
tional safeguard lies in your boundless
public domain. You now have room i
for the spread of population and the sat
isfaction of every mans desire for land
but the time will come when this heri- !
tage will nave been consumed, this safe |
guard will have vanished. You will !
have your crowded Birminghams and /
Mancheste1s, and then will come the |
test OF your institutions"
We invite the earnest attention of our
countrymen to situation OF which this /
prophecy furnishes startling Bugges-
ton. The scenes recently enacted in the
Cherokee strip remind us that the pres
sure OF surplus population still seeks an
outlet in the west, and that we have
practically reached the limit of settle-
ment in that portion of the public do
main where the rainfall a sufficient to
support agriculture. Existing social and |
industrial conditions in the great cities
oil the east and middle west also remind
us OF the alarming increase of the class
OF homeless people within the borders of
the United States. 70 provide further
field Tor colonization under conditions
which promise good average prosperity
to individual citizens. by the utilization
OF the great public estate still remaining
in the hands OF the government, is in
our Judgment work which must now
appeal with irresistible force to Ameri-
can statesmanship.
THE ARID PUBLIC DOMAIN.
The public lands which still belong to
the people OF the United States are for
the most part arid or semi-arid, reouir-
ing the artificial application of water to
reLder them productive. They lie be-
tween the Ssh meridian and the Pacific
ocean and are divided between II states
and territories. This domain is estima-
ted by the general land office to contain
542, ,0O0,0 900 acres. Enough of this land
is arabic to provide homes and farms for
millions OF people. The portion which
can never be cultivated ia available for
range purposes or for forest reservations.
the present condition
Of these arid lands, we confidently pre-
dict that they will become the seat of
the highest civilization and the greatest
average prosperity yet developed
on this continent. The intensive
scientific cultivation rendered possible
by irrigation results in the largest con-
ceivable development OF Independence
end prosperity on the fewest possible
number OF acres. The conditions OF 80
;ial lie which naturally grow up in
region OF small farms are among the
strongest attractions Of the irrigated dis
tricte OF the west. 1t is the experience
i the world that the acre value OF land
Decreases as the farm unit diminisbes.
Ehe reclamation OF the arid public do-d
~. a.