The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-23
| IMPORTANCE OF IRRIGATION
CONGRESS GETS TO WORK AND
LISTENS TO SUGGESTIONS.
Gov. Roosevelt Gives His views.
Favorias the Work Undertaken.
Through which Arid Land. May
he Reciaimed-Letter From Miles.

CHICAGO. Nov. 22.-The national irri-
cation congress. which began its NJ
annual session here last night, got down
10 business today President Eiwood
Mead OF Wyoming. presided
Scipio Craig. OF California. made a mo-
ton that the motto of the congress be
and that a committee on resolutions be
instructed to draft a memorial setting
forth the objects OF the congress and
showing the importance of the reclarna-
tfon Of the arid lands in the United
States. and to report on Saturday.
On motion OF ex-CioY. J. Bradford
credentials organization. rules and resos
lutions were appointed. consisting Of men
from each state and territory represent
ed. Capt Hiram NJ. crfttenden, OF the
United States engineer corps, was Their
introduced. and spoke on Relations Of
the General Government TO Reservoir
Construction"
address a general discussion followed on
storage Of water by the government for
irrigation purposes.
GOV. Rooseveifs views.
The Auditor UNI theater was wen filled
when President Meade called the night
session 10 order. a letter rom Gov
Il believe to the last point In IN vial
necessity II storing the q DDS and pre-
serving the forests. especially thrnugn-
out the plains OF the Rocky mountain re-
gion. The problem OF the development of
the greater West is In part problem OF
irrigation. I naturally believe In a gov
eminent giving generous aid 20 the
movement. for IL is not ssible. and II
IL were possible, II would no be wise. 10
have this storage work done merely
through private ownership, and owing u
The p.cultar necessities of The case much
work must be done by the natonol and
not by any state government. Moreover,
II Is not only necessary TO establish a
greater system u storage reservoirs to
prevent the food waste az the watersi
H Is also necessary to preserve the for
ests OF the mountains and among the
foothills This means that fn the first
place there must be wide extension
of the existing system Of forest reserves,
and In the second place these forest re-
serves must be MANAGED arisht. inev
present division among the federal de-
partmsnts of the duties and therefore
Of the responsibilities OF their manage
msnt.
cial development 81 the arid lands OF the
West Just as the West is Interested In the
proposed development OF our harbor sys-
tenn and of our commerce on the high
seas No part OF this country can be per-
msnentiy benefited without reflex bene-
AZ TO the other part"
Letter From GEN. Miles,
A letter was read BY President Meade
frem Gen. Nelson A. NJ les, In which ne
said
Il am not optimistic enough TO believe
that the ingenuity OF man can encompass
the redemption Of the 600 nno 600 of acres
which comprise the nations vacant public
lands. but II, as has been claimed. there
is water enough for the irrigation OF
ino.eooooo OF acres provided the supply
10 economically used, can easily iuag-
Inc 10. 100 good citizens finding homes
ON farms which are seif-supportfng.
Whether this great work Is to be left
to corporate or private enterprise.
whether IL shall be turned over 20 the
states In which the land II situated. for
such treatment as Is thought best by
those most Interested. or whether the ma
tionnl government. the owner ~ this vast
arid region. should perform the duty OF
reclamation. are questions which you are
now no doubt ably discussing. II appears
that private or corporate enterprises can
not be trusted to control the Improvement
with justice and equality for all cone
eerned. The states themselves are as yet
not financially strong enough TO undertake.
the task II seems 10 me. therefore. tAat
the plan proposed by one Of the members
Of your association Is the most feasible
and just. IL IL. Le, thr government build
tho storage reservoirs and the main line
canal and the settlers provide the
smaller distributing systems by banding
themselves together In cooperative or
sanlHations."
vast Domsta.
Ex- Senator Dubois, ~ idaho. made n
brief address. IN which he said;
"A great statesman az Russia once told
me that the future home Of the white race
would be between the Pacific ocean and
the MiasouTi river and IN British Colum-
hia on the north To me this Seems true
Within these boundaries are Inc 90
acres Of land that can be reclaimed AZ
a cost % $50 a"aos The government
should have the power to take charge Of
tbs work u reclamation. which should he
begun without delay"
Congressman Francis o. Newiauds. 81
Nevada. told how the waters ~ fcar
rivers In his state were lost In sinks *
the dessert instead ~ beinx used 70 ifri-
gata the thousands - acrps % fertile
Land which needed only the water to
change q from desert 20 prosperous
Agricultural rusantry.