Arizona silver belt., 1893-09-23
PROCLAMATION ny TIE GOVERNOR.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
 TERRITORY oF ARIZONA


 WHEREAS, There will be convened at Eos Angeles, California, on the 10th day of October, 1893, and remain in session for five days, an International Irrigation Congress, at which leading irrigationists of the United States, Eu- rope, Asia and Australia will be pres ent, and at which a number of import ant questions relating to irrigation law, irrigation securities, irrigation methods, etc, will be discussed and determined
 The importance of this Congress has received recognition from the national government in circular letter issued by the Hon. Walter Q. Gresham Sec retary of State, dated July 7th, 1893 inviting the attendance Of representa- tives from all foreign governments in- terested in the subject of irrigation. The Department of the Interior will be represented by an officer specially de. tailed to impart to the Congress such information as may be in the posses sion of the government obtained by surveys which have been carried on for several years by the United States geological survey under and by direc- tion Of .he government.
 As delegates will be present from all the States and territories where irriga- tio., iu oo y,.;,I y,,, on1 F,.o,,. t,,,,;,.. countries, where this mode of agricul- ture has been experimented with for years, the discussions will prove of the highest practical value to every citizen interested in the development of Ari- zona. There is no question which presents itself to the western half cf the United I States, especially to our own section, which is of greater importance and fraught with more momentous results than the solution of the arid land | problem, it means the reclamation of many million acres of land, the em- ployment of thousands of people, and 1 the providing of myriads of families with farms and homes, resulting in the | production of untold wealth.
 Our people can point with pride to 1 the wonderful results which have been ] achieved by irrigation within our own i borders, in the reclamation of over half q million acres of land and the l contemplated reclamation of a million 1 more in the immediate future. This is 1 enough to inspire enthusiastic hope in the possibilities of Arizona's horticul- l tural and agricultural resources, and | should serve to excite the deepest in- tercst of our citizens i2 this Congress. | Tho Congress will no doubt discuss | and by resolution adopt and recon { mend to the Congress of the United 1 States policy by which these lands | may be most easily reclaimed. Such policy if simple, practical, and involv- ing little or no cost to the federal gov ernment, will in all probability be crystalized into national law, and it may be that the states and territories in the arid section will be | given the reclamation of these lands. Now, therefore, I, L. C. Hughes, Governor of the Territory of Arizona, l do hereby request and urge the people of the Territory to interest themselves in che coming Congress, both by the | discussion of the subject and recon mending to the proper officials the se- lection and appointment of delegates specially qualified to present the views of our people on the irrigation inter- ests of Arizona and by their practical 10 assist in bringing the de- to a successful conclusion.
 In witness whereof, I have here
 unto set my hand and caused |
 the great seal of the Territory [sEALl to be affixed at y'h1nix, this
 the eleventh day of September,
 in the year of our Lord one
 thousand eight hundred and
 hinety-three
 L. c. HUGHES, Attest Governor
 c. NJ. BRUCE, Secretary of the Ter.