The McCook tribune., 1897-10-08
TURN ON THE WATER.
NEBRASKA SOIL is ALL RIGHT
WHEN WET.
A Great and Growing Question That the
National irrigation Congress VIII
Discuss--The First Days Meet
ing-Gov. HOicomb's Address
What Other Speakers
said.
Nationa, Irrigation Congress.

The sixth annual session of the ma
tional irrigation congress met in Lin
coin on the 2Sth of September. 1t was
called to order by PresidentC b. Booth
Of Los Angeles, California.
| The call of the congress was read by
National Secretary Heintz, after which
| Governor Holcomb was introduced Tor
an address of welcome
Governor Holcomb said that the mat
| ter of irrigation was of vast impor-
| tance to the people of Nebraska and
the entire western country, and he was
glad to welcome the representatives of
| the irrigation interests of the country
| to the state. He promised them a
pleasant stay and royal entertainment
in the capital city. He made extend
ed reference to the products of Nebras-
ka, calling attention to the immense
crops of wheat and corn and to the
sugar and chicory factories. He said
the matter of irrigation a few years
ago was only mentioned in whispers,
now the matter of irrigation is attract
ing widespread attention. The theory
that the rainfall was growing heavier
in the semi-arid regions had been ex-
ploded, and the people We're looking
forward more and more to plans for
furnishing artificial watering plants.
He cordially invited delegates to visit
the state capitol ''over which he had
the honor to preside" and promised
that mo extra guards would be sta
toned about the building"
Chancellor MacLean of the universi
ty also made n happy speech of well
come, calling attention in particular to
the university and it's high place among
the educational institutions of the
United States. He desired that the
delega ates would spare time to visit the
state farm and view the experimental
station, irrigation plant and other fea
lures of this important addition to the
university work.
On behalf of the congress Judge J.
S. Emery of Lawrence, Lam, with an
international reputation as an author
ity on irrigational subjects, responded
to the addresses of welcome by the
governor and chancellor. His speech
was happy mixture of humor and an
exposition of the question which called
the congress together. So deep and
abiding was his faith in irrigation for
soil culture, said Judge Emery, that he
with other Kansans had come to re-
gard that method of farm moisture as
the natural one, rainfall as q second
airy element. He congratulated the
University of Nebraska on being one
of the first, if not the first, educational
institutions in the country to take up
the study of the irrigation subject.
The virgin soil was the source of all
wealth and when the people learned to
SO regard it and by scientific means
aided nature in supplying the deficient
moisture it would mean regeneration
not only of the west, but of the sister,
hood of states.
In reference to the adoption of agri-
culture as one of the branches of learn
ing, he said that when the people went
back to original conditions and got
their living more from the land, the
wave of unrest that is now disturbing
the land would pass away. ''When
our young men and girls get married
and start anew the race of life, we
want them to go back and get their
living from the soil, instead of going
to Chicago to be somebody's hired
man"
Judge Emory T. Best, assistant COM
missioner Of the general land office at
Washington, also made Il response to
the address of welcome. He said that
from what he had heard of Lincoln he
had got the impression that it was a
city of orators. He had once heard a
Lincoln man make speech, and, on
account of his eloquence, he almost
believed what the orator said.
Prof. Elwood Mead, state engineer
of Wyoming was introduced. In re-
ferring to Governor HolcOmb'S address
of welcome he said he agreed to what
had been said about Nebraska corn,
but wanted to raise some exceptions to
cher cattle on thousand hills" Many
of those hills were over across the bor-
der in Wyoming.
The following were appointed as the
committee on credentials: A. L. Kel-
logg, Colorado; George Leis, Kansas;
DIR. S. B. Young, Utah; G. NJ. Knox,
Illinois; D. w. Ross, Idaho; Fl. E.
Heath, Nebraska.
President Booth delivered his annual
address, in which he reviewed the his
tory of irrigation in ancient times, and
told of its progress in this country.
He believed that the prosperity and
adversely of the great west would run
parallel with the care or neglect of the
irrigation systems. Already ID the
states of Kansas and Nebraska there
were many instances where during
drouth seasons fve-acre tracts under
irrigation had saved whole farms from
being swept into the vortex of debt.
E. E. Moses of Great Bend, Kan,
chairman of the national executive
committee, read paper on the irriga-
tion problems. He reviewed the irri-
cation bill now pending in congress,
and advocated the forming of the irri-
grtion congress into a. thorough busi-
ness organization, which would aid in
bringing about legislation to reclaim
the arid lands.
Had Money to Burn.