The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-12-19
WATER Is THEIR HOBBY
EARNEST MEN AT THE NATIONAL
IRRIGATION CONGRESS-.
Congress Has IL I'm Its Power to Re-
claim Thousands of Rich
Acres of Land.

| Moses, chairman OF the executive COM
mittee, submitted his annual report He
says in part:
History will record this as a year dis
astrous to individuals. corporations and
| to the nation. Perhaps no enterprise suf-
fered more disastrously in every way dur
ing this time than irrigation. The work
of your executive committee laid out for
the year was not fully accomplished. nor
is it as satisfactory to them as it would
have been II they had not been haudi-
capped in many ways in its advancement.
| We commenced work upon congress by
assisting others in obtaining an appro-
priation for photographic surveys for de-
termining the water supply We obtained
from senators the different bills intro
duced in the Fifty-fourth congress in the
interest Of irrigation, and fousd that n
had been presented. Some were concurrent
| and local. Several were for ceding the
arid lands to the states and territories.
Others were for surveys and determining
the water supply, several for building
storm reservoirs and one for an irrigation
commission.
1--WE have worked upon congress all we
could. We turned our attention to this
coming irrigation congress and determin-
ed to make it the best representative one
ever held, so that no question would arise
as to its rights in passing upon bills in the
interest of arid and semi-arid America.
| Thousands of letters and circulars and
pamphlets and newspaper articles We're
sent out advertising this meeting. There
are many who assisted in this committee
outside of the committee and gave valu-
able service First among these auXil-
iary forces is the press. These articles
came principally from the gentlemen VINO
will take part in the proceedings of this
congress, and who, through our impor-
tuning, consented to help the cause along.
The railroads have shown no lack of in
terest in this work. Not the least inter
ested in this work are the water and
land companies, emigrant and provident
associations. What should the congress
do? Today the country generally is de-
manding something feasible, practicable
and tangible. We can not at first expect
what we do will be perfect. Time and
experience will reveal the imperfections
and give us ample opportunity to correct
them"
The chairman then details at length
! the work done by the various irrigation
congresses held in the past, and continues
as follows:
We are satisfied that we will never be
, prepared Ito suggest a definite outline II
> full detail on such national legislation es
will ultimately be secured" At best We
can only start in an imperfect way. A
bill upon any principal subject connected
with the work of this congress and pre-
scented for consideration will require close
scrutiny, and passed, if passed at all, will
amendments, and then, when it leaves this
body for the one of final adjudication, will
be torn to pieces again, so that we may
know that nothing starts in a perfect state
but 1t may ultimately approach to /
through practice and experience. W.
trust that you will not think it presump
2 tious in us il we present for your consid
l Grafton some things that have beel
{ evolved from these congresses, but hav
0 remained dormant and inactive.
; A Few Suggestions.
First we would consider it good polio.
and wise judgment if this congress woul'
pass upon a bill or bills creating a nationa
, irrigation commission. Also nationa
forestry commission. They are twin sis
, tiers, and should be passed as one or wv
r separate bills. 1t would be better to nav
| them separate and apart, but if we coul'
not get the one without the other, and con
gress would be opposed to creating wv
commissions, but might create one
coupled together and the friends OF bot
\ work for it, of course it would be wise 70
us to accept 1t in this shape. 1t might b
well to state in the irrigation commission
= bill that 1t is created for the purpose c
= the examination, conservation and utiliza
e ton of the waters and lands in arid an
e semi-arid America. The duty Of this irri
CATION commission would be to look af.e
d irrigation in its every shape and form /
n every state and territory in the Union, t
|, take charge of all irrigation works an
= property and report directly to congress Q
/, to the interior or agricultural department
s the progress of irrigation and make sue
r suggestions as will be for Its further ad
e vancement, until every irrigable arid acr
It is subdued and the unemployed and home
d less find peace and plenty upon them.
n The personnel of this commission shoul
1t be composed of men of experience in tn
It work; men of individuality, who will pres
e forward the work to a speedy conclusio
without fear or favor. If we can accom-
plish this we will have an advocate {
:. Washington for all the other nitric at
abstract and difficult problems that al
"a now agitating the public mind in the col
gress of irrigation.
< 1t is unnecessary for me to CONNER
i'd upon a forestry commission. Its nece
ar sity is as important TO this country as II
sr forests, for without the former we wi
v soon have none Of the latter.
a Committee RecOmmendatiO
The many subjects arising in the int
IN est of irrigation make it difficult to deciC
+. upon what one or ones should be const
- arad fret Tho committed racommeudt