The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-26
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

! Special Dispatch to the Standard.
Missoula, Sept 25-The active work
of the eighth session of the national ir-
rlsation congress began in earnest to-
day, and with a vim and vigor that
| augurs well for the ensuing meetings.
Some of the delegates We're little late
| in arriving, but this was due not to
any fault of theirs, but to the delays
of the railways. There are now nearly
200 accredited delegates who have pre-
sented their credentials and who will
take part in the work of the congress
What this work is and what the con-
gress has to accomplish was stated to-
day by Guy E. Mitchell of Washington,
ID. G. 1t is, briefly:
The proper presentation of the prob
lem of satisfactorily disposing of the
grazing lands by the leasing system and
the securing of a just and equitable
snare or improvement appropriations
for the development and Improvement
of interior states, along with the sea-
board states"
This is the ultimate purpose of the
national irrigation congress and it's
kindred organization, the national irri-
cation association. representatives of
The West asks for nothing more than
is just and fair. 1t wishes for no more
than its due, an equitable distribution
OF the appropriations that are made for
improvement of the water courses and
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
system of education upon matters that
pertain to the problems of irrigation
this is the plan of the congress. 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 re-
clamation of arid lands and the inn
provement of those that are semi-arid.
Judge Woody Bids Them Welcome.
Judge Woody this evening, in well
coming the delegates on behalf of Mis-
soula, expressed an idea that is worthy
of consideration when he said, in the
course of his remarks:
Had the United States given one
half the sum that has been directly or
indirectly expended upon the Philip
pines upon the reclamation of the
waste lands the millions of acres of
land would have been transformed from
deserts into rich fields of golden grain
and orchards bending beneath their
ioads OF fruit, furnishing homes where
IN men or Drawn and might could abide
men upon whom the country could
rely in all cases."
The morning session was devoted en-
tirely to business matters In the alb
sence of the presiding officer. DIR.
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 pro tenn DR..
Stubbs of the Nevada state university.
Dr. Stubbs at once proceeded with the
routine business of the meeting, and
upon motion appointed the following
credentials committee: ]. T. Smith of
Montana, j. C. Bray of Idaho. Walter
Graves of Washington, D. c., A. l..
Stone, secretary, and F. ]. Keisel of
Utah. The congress then took a recess
till o'clock this evening.
At the afternoon session the con-
gress was called to order at 2:30 by DIR.
Stubbs. who opened the session by a
few remarks, regretting that so many
of the men identified with the history
of the congress should be detained
from it's first session, and also that not |
all the delegates We're able to be pres
ent to hear the words of welcome from |
the distinguished gentleman who would |
deliver the address.
These remarks We're followed by the |
report of the committee on credentials, |
which was submitted as a partial re- |
port only, owing to the fact that many |
delegates had not arrived. The report |
was adopted and the committee rec
commended, on motion of Director EN-
cry of the experiment station, to ac-
credit as delegates all members of cor |
porations having the interests of the
congress at heart, and all citizens Of
cities or districts not otherwise
who are present, |
In Behalf of Montana.
Hon. Edwin Norris, president of the
state senate, was then introduced and
on behalf of the state of Montana de-
livered an address of welcome. He
spoke in part as follows: