Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-11-26
FOR WESTERN
COLONIZATION.
Irrigation Of Arid Lands viii
Greatly Assist It
PE0PLESEE ITS IMPORTANCE
East Beginning 90 he Interested 81
Work Of Late Congress POL.
itics In the Mater

~ ~
Chicago, Nov 26.-The delegates to
the ninth annual convention Of the
National Irrigation congress, which
closed here last saturday unanimous
ly declared that greater interest in the
irrigation OF the arid lands OF the Unit
ed States had been reached by this con-
yentIon than any previously held
I'VE believe that the Chicago conven-
tion Of the National Irrigation con-
gress has accomplished a great object"
said Geo H. Maxwell, chairman OF
the executive committee 1T has placed
before the people OF the whole United
States the Importance Of the problem
Of national irrigation. and has particu-
larry brought II 10 the attention OF the
people Of the East in a manner not
otherwise possible. A genuine interest
in the subject seems to have been
awakened. So much good would result
from the carrying out Of the policy by
the national government and result in
so many different ways, that people
who have no interest In irrigation it.
self are being attracted 10 the idea.
1t would accomplish the colonization
OF the West and the creation Of a great
market for manufacturing, Il would
result In the employment OF labor. the
development OF mining, in assistance
10 navigation, 10 the prevention OF
floods, and In relief for the cOngested
condition Of our cities in supplying
material for thousands Of small rural
homes.
Last year." continued Mr.. Maxwell.
Chicago was fixed up as the meeting
place for this years congress, and work
was at once begun by the National r.
figation association to bring the sub
ject before the people OF the East
through their commercial organizations
THE merchants OF Los Angeles began
the work by cOrresp ndence with sew
eral thousand Of the eastern merchants
and manufacturers who find a market
for their goods In that city. a city
which Is such magnificent object les
son OF the marvellous transformation
that water will work IN the West The
merchants OF ST. Paul and Omaha next
took up the work OF Organization
through similar correspondence and A.
nally large number OF merchants and
manufacturers Of Chicago extended 10
the movement their strong influence
and support and likewise took up the
matter by correspondence with other
eastern merchants and manufacturers
As a result OF this work. the member
ship OF the National Irrigation associa-
ton now comprises nearly a thousand
OF the leading mercantile firms and
manufacturing concerns OF the United
States and has a membership extending
from California to Maine and from MIN
nesota 10 Texas. Agricultural. com
mercial, horticultural and labor organi-
cations from one end 81 the country TO
the other have strongly Endorsed the r.
rigation movement by resolutions and
given to II their earnest aid and CO.
operation
Have not the eastern people how
ever been inclined to consider the propo-
sltion wholly a western one?" he was
asked
we have heard much OF eastern op-
position said Mr. Maxwell but
have yet TO find q single eastern busi-
ness man not in hearty accord with the
movement as soon as Il is explained 10
him. The active cooperation OF the .
labor organizations bears this out. The I
movement has finally crystallized into .
a sentiment which Is essentially nation /
al In It's broadest sense and the objects /
that are now enlisted I'm the Nation |
al Irrigation movement are not /
promoted from any local or sectional I
point OF view. but from a conviction
that the planting Of American civiliza- :
ton and the building OF homes for fifty
million new citizens under the Amerl- /
can flag IN places which are now waste .
and desolate. is national purpose .
which demands support from every citl- /
zen In every section OF the country. be- I
cause the far-reaching and widespread .
benefits from the reclamation OF this .
vast area OF virgin territory would
create national prosperity IN which
all would share"
Are politics likely 10 enter into the
question 10 any extent?"
THE great political parties OF the
country In the last campaign both In
dorsed II and hence the movement IS in
no sense partisan or political. II rises
to the highest and the purest patriot
ism and the motto OF the movement
save the forest and store the floods
is one which can be subscribed TO by
every citizen Of the United States east
and west
THE great stimulation OF business
and production incident to the colonl-
cation of the middle West. where men
went out and took up from 100 10 Gao
acres each and made homes for them
solves. would be small compared with
what would occur II lOO,0O0OOO acres
OF arid land which would be mex
haustibly fertile, II given water and
divided into ten and twenty acre high
ly cultivated farms. These facts, the
Chicago irrigation congress has pre-
scented to the people Of the East and
they are studying them"