The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-12-16
TO PUT To GOOD USE
suggestions in Regard TO The Re-
clamatlOn Of Arid Lands.
IN IRRIGATION CONGRESS
comprehensive Report of L. n.
Moses, Chairman OF the Exec
utive tommittee at the
Meeting in hoenlx.

Phoenix. Ariz,, Dec. lI.-M to-day's
session uf the national irrigation con-
gi ess, l., X. Moses, chairman of the
eHecutive committee. submitted his an
uual report The chairman says In
tart;
History will record this year as lis
ustrous ta individuals. corporations
aud &" the nation. Perhaps nu enter
prise suffered more disastruusly la cV-
ely way during his time than ifrigu-
ton. The work II your executive COM
miitec laid out for the year was not
fully accomplished. nor is IL as satis-
factory to them as il would have been
II they had not been handicapped IN
n,any ways in It's advancement.
We commenced work upon CON
grcss 10y assisting others In obtaining
AN appropriation f"r hydrugraphir sur
Wys for determining the wafer supply.
We obtained from senators the differ
ent hills int reduced IN th" Fifty-fpirjh
congress In the interest of irrigation
ana found that ., had lhrcn presented,
Some were concurrent aud luc,h. Sew
etal We're fur ccding the arid lands Co
the states and territories. Others for
surveys and determining the water
supply, several for building storage
reservoirs and on" fnr an irrigation
comIpittep lniSsieu. We have work II
upon congress all Ne could: We turned
our attention to this canning irrigation
congress and determined tu make
IL the hest representative one ever held,
50 that no question would arise as to
its rights in passing upon bills in The
interest of arid and s"mi-arid America a.
Thousands nf letters Und inyititi ms
ana circulars and pamphlets aud cir
culnrs We're sent out advertising this
meeting. There are many NhO assist
ed In this work outside of your COM
niittee and gave very valuable services.
FIRST among the auxiliary forces is the
press. These articles came principally
from the gentlemen who will take part
In the proceedings Of this congress.
and who. through our importuning.
consented To help the cause along.
The railroads have shown no lack of
interest In this work. The least inter-
! estcd in this work are the water and
| land companies, emigrant and provi-
dent associations, What should the
congress do? To-day the country gen.
orally is demanding something feasi-
lie, practicable and tangible. We can
l'l Ut ITSt tNuttl WHAT We ub VIII I've
perfect. Time and experience will re-
veal the imperfections and give us am
| pie opportunity To correct tbem.''
The chairman Then details at length
the work done by the various irriga-
tion congresses held In the past and
| continues. We are satisfied that We
never will be prepared In secure the
/ definite outline in full detail of such
| rational legislation as viii ultimately
| be secured. Al best, we can only start
I IN an Imperfect way. A hill upon any
principal subject connected with the
work of this congress and presented for
/ consideration will require close scru-
/ tiny and passed IL passed at all. with
/ amendments and then when II leaves
| this body for one OF final adjudication
| II will De torn To pieces again, So that
we may know that nothing starts in a
| perfect state. hut It may ultimately ap-
| pIoach to 1t through practice and ex-
| pericnce.
We trust that you Will not think ID
/ presumptuous In MS il We present for
| your consideration some things that
| have been evolved from these cou-
| crosses. hut have remained dormant
| and inactive. First. We would consider
| II good policy and wise Judgment II this
congress should pass upon "a hill or
| Hills creating a national irrigation
\ commission. sAlso national forestry
| commission n would hc better to have
/ them separate and apart, but IL we
\ could not get the one without the other
/ and congress would he opposed to Gre
/ ating two commissions. hut might one
/ II coupled together. and the friends of
/ 10th working for IL. Of course, II would
/ hc wise for us 10 accept II in this
shape. II might hc well tp state In the
/ irrigation commission hill that 1t is
/ created for the purpose at the cxami-
ration. conservation and utilization of
the waters and lands in arid and semi
/ arid America. The duty of this irriga-
/ tion commission would be 10 look after
| irrigation in it's every shape and form,
/ In every state and territory i'm the
/ union, to take charge Of all irrigation
works and property and report direct ~
/ Ia congress or To the interior or agri-
cultural DEPARTMENT the progress oI ir-
| Iigati' ard mlk, such suggestions "A
I will he for It's further advancement,
until every irrigablc arid acre is SUB
| ducd ana the unemployed and homeless
find peace and plenty upon them.
The personnel of this commission
/ should be composed ~ men of expert
cnce In the work men of individuality "
who viii press forward the work to a
speedy conclusion without fear or Ia
vor. II we can accomplish this We will
have an advocate at Washington for
all the other intricate abstract and
| difficult problems that are now agitat-
ing the public mind in the congress III
| irrigation. II is unnecessary for me tO
I comment upon the forestry commits
sion. Its necessity is az important to
this country as the forests, for with
out the former We will gpun save none
Of the latter. The many subjects aris-
ing in the interest uf irrigation make
| Il difficult to decide upon what one oT
ones should be- considered first
The committee recommended action
| rpun the following subjects in the form
~ bills for preacntntiru Ia congress a
washington: Arid lard policy. inter
state streams. international streams
. the reclamation ~ arid and scrr -urid
lands. pastoral lands irrigation sury ry,
pad appropriations fur Irritation.
HIS WORD - GOOD.
| ,H....... IL. r.,,I,u.s pnutrs. az ts,t.,. A. o.