Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-09-08
DISCUSS IRRIGATION.
ANNUAL CONGRESS MEETS
Loading Men Interested In tho sciono
Gather at Cheysnno-Next session to
he Held In Montana.


NJ. Carey of this city. An invocation
was pronounced by Rev. DIR. Raftcr of
st. Marks Episcopal Church. Judge
Carey then introduced Governor Will
liam \. Richards, who welcomed the
congress to Wyoming.
Several responses were made by men
from different states.
The afternoon session of the congress
opened with the reports of the COM
mlttees on credentials and permanent
organization.
Judge j. NJ. Carey was continued rs
permanent chairman. o. Il. McCut-
cheon, Michigan, secretary; ]. S. En-
cry, Kansas, national lecturer; vice
presidents. DIR. $. Is. Young. Utah: S.
A. Cochran, South Dakota; s. NJ. Knox.
Illinois,
The position OF national lecturer for
the extreme western portion OF the
country was created to be filed by G.
II. Maxwell, California.
Communications from DIR. A. c.
True and Colonel Ii. NJ. Chittcndcn
We're read.
Colonel Chittenden's paper was
carefully prepared one OH the national
reservoir question urging action by
Congress In the matter Of water supply
for irrigation.
Judge Joseph NJ. Carey. president of
the congress. then delivered Il formal
address to the congress.
He treated OF the subject Of irriga-
ton ut great length.
An interesting communication was
read from William l.. Smy,hc. former
president of the congress, which pro-
voked storm of discussion and adj
verse criticism. Mr.. Smythc's letter
was Il pessimistic view Of the irriga-
ton question. lie advanced the opin-
ion that almost unsurmoun,ablc OBJ
stacles stand In the way OF develop
mcnt in the West. The causes he clas-
siiied are:
First-Natural repuguance OF the
public to purchase OF water rights
which are merely the right to rent wat
er.
Sccond-Popular ignorance concern
ing the arid regions.
Thlrd-Prohlbitlvc price Mt which
lands are held in irrigated districts.
Fourth-Poverty OF the classes from
which II Is attempted to draw settlers.
Fifth-Exccssivc cost OF passenger
and freight transportation.
SiNtli-Failurc OF western people to
comprehend the economic difference
between the settlement OF lands In an
arid and humid region.
Success, Mr.. Smythe argued. could
only come through cooperative asso-
Citations.
A general discussion on Mr..
Smythc's points followed.
Delegate Law OF Greeley then gave
n clear and comprehensive description
Of the Irrigation systems Of the Cache
La Poudre valley.
At the morning session to-day. the
report of Colonel ii. Il. Mnxson OF Ne
vadn, chairman OF the Irrigation Con-
grcssIonal committee. was heard. He
submitted bill TO Congress intending
to cover the shortcomings OF the Carey
act. The bill was reported favornbly
by the House committee, but aftcrward
WINS crowded out by war matters. Tho
bill will be taken up by the next Con-
gress and will most likely become a
law. The report was received and de-
clarcd open for discussion.
In the discussion Colonel Doughcrty
said the main proposition Is water first
and then homes for the common pco-
pie. The state should build the stor-
age reservoirs. His idea was that the
aid OF the general government should
be given the states. He favored the
ccssion OF the arid lands to the states.
Judge Emery, on the bill. which is
better known as the Shafroth bill. said
the House committee said the condi.
lions Of the general land laws are not
applicable to the arid regions. The
amount TO be appropriated would be so
large in building government rescr-
voirs and representatives from those re-
gions are so few In number that the
general government could not be cx-
pectcd to enter into the work, but, said
JuIpn Empry wa huyp nnypr uslsaI
the general government 10 undertake
anything but storage reservoirs.
Colonel Dougherty called attention to
the fact that the Shnfroth bill only pro-
vidcs legislation looking to the cession
of the arid lands. There should be leg
islation through the river and harbor
bill for storage reservoirs.
At the close of the discussion the re.
port OF the congressional committee
was accepted.
A discussion on the successes and
failures In canal building and the
causes followed. This discussion was
led by Colonel l.. s. Nc,tlcton of Den
yer.
The following members of the cx-
ecutive committee OF the congress for
the ensuing year were chosen: II. l..
Kellogg, Colorado: S. NJ. Knox, Illinois:
J. II. Churchill. Kansas: II. W. Syivcs-
ter, Maryland; Thomas Knight. Mis-
souri,: ]. d. O'Donncll. Montana: NJ. NJ.
McCutchcon, Michigan; 4. G. Frost,
Minnesota: NJ. Doughcrty. Nebraska:
II. Il. Mlxson. Nevada: $. y. Smith.
South Dakota: j. II. McClintOck. Arizo.
ma: Judge Shurtliff. Utah.
Judge Carey announced that the dele
gates would he taken to Whcatland.
Sunday, for the purpose Of visiting the
Whentlnnd colony.
For the next meeting place of the
congress invitation were received
from Los Angeles. Eddy. New Mexico.
and the state OF Montana. The invita-
ton of Montana was accepted, the eN-
ecutive committee being authorized to
name the city. The delegates were en-
tcrtlincd tonight Mt a smoker by the