The herald., 1897-10-04
IRRIGATION CONGRESS
POOR ATTENDANCE BUT FAIRLY
SATISFACTORY RESULTS
Bryan Made a Telling Speech-6ov.
ernor Holcomb Striking Fig
ure-Tucker's Scheme

Special Correspondence to The Herald.
LINCOLN, Neb, Sept. 30,-The results
accomplished at the sixth national irri-
CATION congress are fairly satisfactory
but the attendance has not been large
although from most states it was rep
resentative.
The people of Lincoln, through its
mayor, and the state of Nebraska,
through its governor, and the chancel-
| Tor OF the state university, welcomeo tne
delegates in most hearty and cordial
| manner
! The sessions of the convention were
held in the chapel of the state univer-
sity and they were all fairly well at
tended. The papers read were upon sub
! jects of interest to all who are residents
| or land holders, present or prospective,
| in those sections of the country which
have been reclaimed by the applica tior
of water.
| The presiding officer Of the congress
was ex-United States Senator Joseph
NJ. Carey of Wyoming. Senator Carey
is a gentleman of ability and he made
an excellent presiding officer. He is
big man, in mind and body, a man who
believes in irrigation. for he practices
it, as he has 600 families upon irrigated
lands that he has developed in Wyom-
ing.
BRYAN'S TELLING SPEECH
This afternoon the Hon. William ].
Bryan delivered a brief address to the
convention. Mr.. Bryan was given a
hearty reception. The delegates ap
plauded when in company with Mrs.
Bryan he entered the hall, and in the
most unassuming manner possible took
a seat in the body Of the hall.
When the distrg guished American was
presented to the congress by Senator
iCarey he was again gwen an ovation.
His address, like all of his public utter
ances was timely and most appropriate.
He did not trench upon any subjects
which could be termed not germane to
the congress. He talked in low, we'll
modulated tone, but with an earnestness
that was impressive.
Mr. Bryan admitted that he was not
posted upon the subject of irrigation,
but his practical experience and knowl-
edge CLEANED from travel, he said, had
caused him to fully realize its import
ance He pointed out the fact that the
water and land should go together, and
that they were inseparable. He pleaded
for the small landholder and the pro-
lection that should be given him by the
fostering care of the law.
Mr. Bryan spoke about ten minutes.
but it was the speech of the convention.
At its conclusion he was given another
ovation, and until the close of the ses
sion he remained an interested listener
to all that trranspired.
GENEROUS LANDOWNER
Among the distinguished men in at
tendance upon the convention was Hon.
S. NJ Knox of Princeton, ILL., Mr. Knox
is the owner Of $4,000 acres of land in
Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. Dur
ing the past five years, owing to crop
failures, he has not eXacted from his
tenants upon whom misfortune fell any
rent at all. He told them when they
raised something he would. expect rent
for those years. But in seasons when
the soil failed to produce he did not see
how it was reasonable for him to ask
or expect anything. There are few men
in the country like S. NJ. Knox of Prince
ton, H., who was the personal friend Of
ADraham Lincoln.
PROMINENT DELEGATES
Judge J. S. Emery of Lawrence, Kas.,
was also one Of the prominent partici-
pants in the deliberations of the. con-
gress. Judge Emery was one of the, early
settlers of the Sunflower state. He. has
always been to the front in public move
ments The judge is contemplating
taking up his residence in Southern Call
ifornia.
c. B. Boothe of Los Angeles, who was
the president of the congress elected al
Phoenix, acted in that capacity at Lin
coin until the new officers were elected
Mr.. Boothe, as is we'll known, is a pol
shed gentleman and made an excellent
impression that was an honor to the
state.
The great state OF California was rep
resented in the convention by but four
delegates.
A GENIAL GOVERNOR
The state officials Of Nebraska ten
dered a reception to the visiting dele
gates in the senate chamber of the cap
tol building on Tuesday evening. 1t was
a pleasant affair. Governor Holcomb
the chief executive of the common
wealth, is feet inches in height and
splendidly built in proportion. He was
formerly a lawyer and judge on the
district bench. Politically he was Dem
ocrat, but now he is serving his second
term as the Populist governor of the
state. He is a pleasant gentleman, al
though he is not a powerful speaker
He is not popular with his political op
ponents. who seem to be very bitter in
expressing their opinions of him. both as
a man and public servant
Booth-Tucker of the Salvation army
is to tell the congress what he proposes
10 do to populate the arid west with
the surplus population of the great
cities, reclaiming by irrigat ton the LAND
which he wishes them to TILL He has
not yet spoken, but have talked with
him. He is certainly a grand and a
noble man, who has conceived scheme
| which, if it can be carried out will be
one of the greatest works for the benefit
of humanity that has been consum-
mated for long term Of years.
r. ]. c..