The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-16

Phoenix. Ariz., Dec. 15.-The fifth
national irrigation congress was called
to order at IL o'clock this morning by
National Chairman E. r. Moses of
Kansas
John L. Frost of Kansas was elected
! temporary chairman: James H. Nc
Clintock of Arizona. temporary secre-
tafy; A. L. Kellogg of Colorado. and
L. S. Hewlett of Washington, assistant
secretaries.
! National Chairman Moses then adj
dressed the congress. He said the year
1896 had been one of disaster; that the
interests of irrigation had suffered to
considerable extent, and that the con-
vening of this congress. at one time,
seemed impracticable, but the commit
| tee had worked assiduOusly, and
great and representative body was the
result. He believed the work of previ-
! Gus congresses had been imperfect,
and that this one must do better. We
might disagree as TO politics and rellS-
| ion. but the people of arid America
! must stand together in the great work
of irrigation. This congress must agree
upon bill. or bills, to be passed by
the United States congress. and ma
tional aid must be the feature. He
favored the creation of an irrigation
and forestry commission TO have
charge of the matter.
The address of welcome in behalf of
the city was made by Mayor ]. D.
MOnihan, of Phoenix.
Governor B. j. Franklin of Arizona.
on behalf of the territory, spoke as
follows:
GOV. FRANKLIN'S ADDRESS.
Ladies and Gentlemen Of the Fifth
National Irrigation Congress: Arizona
extends to you grateful and cordial
welcome. esteem il a great honor to
have the privilege of greeting such a
distinguished body, assembled from
many of the great commemorative OF
the Union, for the purpose of discuss
ing one of the supreme questions that
now interests not only Arizona, but all
the arid west II is certainly aDDro-
pirate for this congress to meet on this
soil, where. thousands of years ago,
irrigation began. Professor Powell, a
distinguished authority, in one of his
reports to the secretary of the interior,
says that the first indications of irri-
CATION are to be found in the territory
of Arizona: in this beautiful city that
sits like jeweled-crOwned queen. en-
circIed in a cOrOnet of flowers in the
garden of the most magnificent valley
on the continent; that more than 300
years ago. when Coronado was seek
ing the seven cities of SibOla, he dis
covered the Casa Grande ruins. They
seemed to be as much decayed then as
now and scientific researches show
that long before Abraham fed his
focks ON the plains of Judea and long
before our great master delivered his
sermon. on the mountain; long before
Ruddha preached his philosophy. there
was flourishing community in this
great valley. We had. at that time an
INN these
History will reUeat itself; the pOpula-
ton will again increase. and when
water is applied to our bOuntiful lands.
and capital comes to our aid. all the
valleys of Arizona will blossom as the
rose. What is true of Arizona is true
of all the arid lands of the west.
A GREAT PURPOSE.
You have met. gentlemen of this
congress, for a great purpose. Our
which lasts only three
days. should last for ten or 10 days, for
the questions you are to discuss are
supreme questions. We may differ as
to politics, we may differ as to re-
ligion. we may differ on many other
things, but all the people from the
states of Nebraska and Kansas, from
the Dakotas to the Pacific coast agree
that we desire the reclamation of arid
lands Every year the government
passes a river and harbor bill. bestow-
ing hundreds of thousands of dollars
for the improvement of insignificant
harbors and streams Navigation is
not improved by it: commerce is not .
aided and the money might as well
be thrown into the ocean, Why should
not this money be given to the recla-
nation of arid landS2 Twelve miles
above Florence. at a place known as
the Buttes. there is the grandest reser-
voir site on this continent, and for
nj COfll6 hea
put under cultivation L have nothing
TO do with the questions you have to
discuss, but l ask whether the govern
ment should not take hold of these
reservoir sites and keep them from
individual and corporate rapacity? Gap
plause.) Why not reserve these grand
reservoir sites in the interests of the
people, and then let the government
appropriate money for the purpose Of
storing the water
ONE OF MANY
This reservoir site of ella valley.
which l have already mentioned, is
only one among many of the grand
reservoir sites of the arid west. 1t
seems TO me that the arid west has
been an orphan at Washington for a
long time. Oaughter) 1t is time it
asserted itself. and that we should tell
them if you give US nothing we Will give
you nothing. / again gladly greet and
welcome you. 1t gives me great pleas
ure to talk to this distinguished body.
cannot detain you to tell you of all
the wonderful beauties of this magnifi-
cent valley; of our orchards, our
orange groves. our alfalfa fields our
fat cattle and our sunshine. for you
will see all these things. and will say
when you return, I'VE have heard
great tales of this country. but the
half had not been told: Arizona. when
water is supplied. viii not only prove a
great mining but a great agricultural.
state. This valley alone is much larger
than the state of Rhode island: the
Salt Ris-nl ley the San Padr1,