Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-26
The Question OF Their Re-
ClamatiOn Discussed.
MEETING In MlSS0ULA
Is Attended BY Well Known People
From all Sections of the Country
An Address Was Given by DR..
Stubs Yesterday.

session of the National Irrigation con-
gress convened here today. About 200 ac-
credited delegates ave already presented
their credentials. Delayed trains caused
some of them to be late. These delegates
come from every section of the union in
which all interest is taken in irrigation of
heretofore arid lands, and also include a
number of officials Of the department of
agriculture from Washington. The work
the congress is to accomplish was stated
today by Guy F.. Mitchell of Washington,
D. c.. to be, briefly: The proper present.
alton of the problem of satisfactorily dis
posing Of the grazing lands by the leasing
system. and the securing of a just and
equitable share by Improvement appro-
| %priations for the development and I'M
! proVement of interior states, along with
the seaboard states.
This is the ultimate purpose of the Ma
tional Irrigation ongreSS and it's kindred
organization, the National Irrigation as
ISOLATION, representatives of which are
! here at this meeting. The congress wishes
for no more than it's due and equitable
distribution of the app. opriations that are
made for Improvement of the water
courses, and a system that will properly
recompense the western states for the
expense that they are put to in policing
! the vast areas of public lands. combined
with this a system of education upon
matters that pertain to the problems of
irrigation-this is the plan of the con-
gress. 1t is composed of men who are
earnest and devoted workers in this field.
and who are numbered among the best
informed men in the work upon matters
that are associated with these problems
of reclamation of arid lands and the i'm
provement of those that are semi-arid.
The morning session was devoted en-
tirely to business matters. In the absence
Of the presiding officer. DR.. Young of
Utah, who was detained by a late train.
Chairman O'Donnell of the executive
committee announced that the committee
had selected as chairman Of the congress
President Stubbs of the Nevada Agricul-
tural college. DR.. Stubs at once pro-
ceeded with the routine business of the
meeting and upon motion appointed the
! following credentials committee: j. T.
Smith, Montana; ]. G. Bray. Idaho; Wal
ter Graves, Washington d. c.; A. L..
Stone, secretary; F. J. Keisel, Utah. The
! congress then took a recess.
AT the afternoon session the congress
was called to order at $50 by DR.. Stubs.
who opened the session by a few brief
remarks. This was followed by the re-
port of the committee on credentials.
which was submitted as a partial report
only, owing to the fact that many dele
gates had not arrived. The report was
adopted and the committee recommended.
on motion of Director Emery Of the ex-
pertinent station to accredit AS delegates
all members OF corporations having the
interests of the congress at heart, and all
citizens of villages, cities or districts not
! otherwise represented who are present.
} Hon. Edward Norris. president of the
state senate, was then introduced and on
behalf of the state of Montana delivered
an address of welcome.
C. c. Booth and George H. Maxwell.
both of California, responded. On behalf
of the board of trade and citizens of Mis-
sonia. Hon. Frank II. Woody welcomed
the delegates in an address, typical OF the
Montana pioneer. He said in the course
of his remarks: Il am not here to discuss
the question of territorial expansion, nut
may say that had the United States
given one-half OF the sum that has been
! directly or indirectly expended upon the
| Philippines upon the reclamation OF the
waste lands, millions Of acres of land
would have been transformed from des-
erts into rich fields of golden grain; grain
and orchard bending beneath their loads
! of fruit, furnishing homes wherein men
of Drawn and might, might abide; men
upon whom the country could rely in all
cases.
To this address spoons was made by
Hon. J.. O. Bray of Idaho and seconded
by Director Emery of Bozeman. n al
ternoon session adjourned in time to en-
able the delegates to meet the DELAYED
trains on the Northern Pacific. which
brought in a big crowd of delegates from
southern and eastern states. The attend
ance at the congress tonight is said to be
the most representative that has been
present at any previous session of the
congress-, and the officers are elated over
4ho ncncnacts of a Snlandi0 session.