The herald., 1897-09-29

expressed were applauded and re-echoed
by local speakers, whose interest in ir-
rigation projects is reaching the point
entertained by districts where the en-
terprise is no longer in its infancy.
Thus far there has been little said
concerning new officers of the congress.
Secretary Heintz is understood to be
candidate for reelection. and has strong
supporters. Two aspirants for the next
place of meet org have appeared in the
cities of Atlanta, Ga, and Guthrie,
o. T. Atlanta appears to be generally
favored.
On behalf Of the congress Judge En-
cry Of Lawrence, Kan, with an inter-
national reputation as an authority on
irrigational subjects, responded to the
address Of welcome by the governor and
the chancellor. His speech was nap
py mixture of humor and. an exposition
of the question which called the con-
xress together So deep and abiding
was his faith In irrigation. for soil cul-
ture, said Judge Emery that he, with
other Kansars, had come to regard that
system of farm moisture as the natural
one, and rainfall as the secondary ele-
ment. He congratulated the University
educational institutions in the country to
take up the study of the Irrigation prob
lem The virgin soil was the source of
al wealth, and when people learned 20
regard it and by scientific means aid
nature in applying the deficient moisture
It would me N regeneration not only of
the west, but of the sisterhood of states.
Judge Emery F. Best, of Washington,
~ tl,-. x11,a nf VI m 1ic.fC n11c
Harmon as a representative of the fed
eral government. and was followed brief
iy by Elmer r. Reed, state engineer of
Wyoming.
President Booth, after announcing va
rious committees, addressed himself to
the convention proper in carefully pre-
pared paper.
MOSES ADDRESS
E. r. Moses, of Great Bend, Kan,
chairman of the national executive COM
mittee, gave a resume of the irrigation
! work for the year.
President Moses said in part: "The
stime has come to the minds of all who
fully know the condition of the East and
ithe West that this country can no longer
| remain half settled and half unsettled
any more than it could have remained
half free and half slave. Indi-
) vidual and cooperative efforts have
gone as far as they can go. Uncle Sam
owns this unsettled land, and it has now
come to the parting of the ways; either
the government must open these lands
for settlement, or turn them over in fee
simple to the States and Territories in
which they lie that they may open them
for settlement.
1.-The settlement of the West means
only that the products of the soil go
East for the products of the loom and
the factory; that the settling of the sur
plus population in the West relieves
the East of great financial burdens,
which give only temporary relief. The
opening of the West will not only give
lhomes to the present homeless, but to
future thousands, instead of forcing
lthem abroad as England, France and
AGermany do their homeless people, for
want Of territory.
IT any bill is passed for the reclama-
/, tion OF arid and semi-arid America, it
must first be drafted by this body of the
people Of the West. The last Irrigation
Congress passed upon bill, very good
one, for a starter, known as the Public
Land Commission bill. 1t was intro
dnacnd into. the House of Representatives
neBr the close of the session, and awaits
,reasBrectfon. II has firm supporters in
both houses. and, with proper efforts on
Hhe pRrt OF this congress- could become
Jlak