The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-12
CONVENTION OF
|RR|GATORS TO
Be VERY LIVELY
Nationals Preparing
Opposition.
GOVERNMENT EXPERT COMING
CHITTENDEN REPORT FAVoRs
STATE PLAN.
California Practically Outside Of Con-
ditions Upon Which Government
Aid Is Predicated in Consider
ing Arid Land Question.
CHITTENDEN REPORT FAVoRs
STATE PLAN.

Irrigation history will be made for Cali
fornia at the convention to be held this
week In this city. Letters received yes
terday Indicate clearly that the advocates
of the national idea, as opposed to the
State plan for the impounding OF MOOD
waters of the State, have been working
in many localities to develop strong oppo-
sition on the floor Of the convention.
George H. Maxwell, who Is looked upon
as the chief advocate in California of the
idea that the National Government will
provide the means for the necessary
storage reservoirs, will be present as a
delegate from Sonoma County, he having
been named by the Sonoma County Su-
pervisors He will strongly oppose the
State plan. Delegates from some south
ern countless especially Los Angeles, will
come with instructions pledging them to
oppose the work Of the California State
Association for the storage OF flood waters
Agents OF certain ditch companies are in
opposition also. The advocates of having
the State provide the way for the con-
struction of dams are numerically strong
and influential.
Elwood Mead, irrigation expert for the
United States Government, Will be pres
emit His attitude may be judged by ex-
tracts from letters that he has written TO
members of the California State Asso-
citation for the storage of flood waters.
In one of these he says: II have always
believed that the Lord helps those who
help themselves, and | think 1t a mistake
for any State to sit down and wait for the
Government. In another is this passage:
II see no necessary conflict between your
movement and the extension of aid by
the General Government. In fact, 1 do not
believe that the General Government will
do or can do all that is to be done. II
the convention should desire will explain
the work Of the irrigation investigation
Of the Department of Agriculture relative
to the irrigation development in the sew
eral States"
Against the claims of the National r.
rigation Association will be set forth that
the conditions in the report of Chittenden,
civil engineer, upon which the nation
alists reply, do not apply to California
His reasons for having the General Gov
eminent provide for irrigating arid re-
gions were that the water supplies of the
pressly excepted the Pacific States be-
cause their water supplies are independ-
ent; Also that the United States is the
principal owner of the land in the arid
States. This is true of Wyoming for in
stance. where the General Government
owns 80 per cent of the land. In Califor-
MIA the Government has very little arid
land. Also, 1t will be urged against the
idea that the rental from the Govern
ments arid lands would be sufficient to
provide storage reservoirs-that the facts
will not rent its forest reservations Graz
ing lands in Nevada, superior to any arid
lands in California, bring very low rent
ais, SIS being the price for three sections
in one instance
A lively convention Is certain