Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-11-24
THE IRRIGATION QUESTION
Trouble Over The Question Of a Field Meeting
at Colorado Springs Next Year,
Secretary OF Agriculture Wilson sends
a Let ter Dealing Win "Forestry
and Irrigation 4"

Chicago, Nov. 23--rrouble arose IN
the meeting OF the National Irrigation
congress this afternoon when the re-
port Of the committee on permanent
Organization was presented. All parts
OF the report were accepted save that
section which recommended that a
field meeting Of the congress be held
next spring at Colorado Springs and
the annual meeting later In the year
at Buffalo. A dozen delegates rose TO
their feet TO protest when this was
read and loudly voiced their protests
They desire that the annual meeting
be held In Colorado Springs and the
secondary affair In Buffalo They
claimed that the majority OF the men
who would attend the annual meeting
were residents Of the West and that
they should not be compelled TO 30 as
far as Buffalo The discussion lasted
over an hour and waXed warm az times.
Finally on the request Of Chairman
Booth Of the organization committee,
that part Of the report relating 10 the
place OF holding the next annual meet
ing was referred back 10 the commit
tee with instructions to report at 1850
tomorrow morning.
SECRETARY WILSON'S LETTER.
At the afternoon session a letter was
read from Secretary Wilson, dealing
with Forestry and Irrigation" IL was
In part as follows "The water problem,
Ike the forest problem, Is essentially
and primarily one Of conservation and
use. The waste Of water In Hoods and
the waste Of forests by fire are parallel
losses, each utterly hostile 10 the best
interests both OF the farmer and Ma
tion al large, and each prcvantable by
perfectly well-known means Enlight-
ened public opinion and the use OF ex-
pert skill are the two forces which are
Indispensable II we are 20 save the
forests and store the floods in accord
snce with the admirable motto Of your
congress.
THE creation OF public sentiment will
be immensely forwarded by your meet
ings, and you may safely look 10 the
national government for some part, at
least, OF the trained skin 10 study the
water problems which confront the IT.
rgator, and to make the forests OF the
great West, and Of the East as well,
yield their products year after year and
decade after decade In unbr0ken album
dance.
THE vast developments which you
are planning can become permanent
only by the junction Of wise c0nserya-
ton with energy, and the natural re-
sources which have cost you nothing,
must be protected and husbanded with
the same trained care which you are
making ready to bestow upon vast sys-
tens OF artificial works for irrigation.
THE chief dangers which threaten
your plans-one, the failure 70 secure
the building OF these great works the
other the failure TO protect the forests
from which your waters come-are best
met, like most Of the dangers which
threaten our country. by the broad diff
fusion OF wise principles and ways OF
thought among the people The two
sister organizations which are striving
for the objects you have In view, the
National Irrigation association and the
American Forestry association, are per-
haps the most useful agents at your
command for this purpose. Use and
support them to the full and see TO II
that IN every city, town and village.
East and West, the people understand
the vital interest Of the whole nation
| in the protection and wise use OF the
forests and the streamsu
FORESTRY is BUSINESS.
Mr.. Clifford Pinchoe forester Of the
| United States department OF agricul-
ture, took as his subject Forestry rs
Business" He said IN part,
THE aim Of forestry is essentially an
economic business one; incidentally II
leads TO the creation or protection OF
beauty but 1t Is essentially and COM
pletely separate from landscape gar
dening, from the planting Of shade or
street trees, and the cultivation OF
| fruit all Of which are more or less
| commonly COMPOUNDED with II. The pur-
| pose Of forestry Is to perpetuate the
/ forest cover In the regions where Its
| presence is needed for the regulation
/ OF stream flow, the protection Of agri-
culture against drying winds, and the
! preservation OF irrigation works
| against silt from the washing of the
hills The destruction of forests. like
any other form OF evil, may be car
| ried on for time without immediate
! bad results, but the poverty and suf-
| fering which follow II In the end are as
inevitable as It is severe
Throughout the irrigable West the
protection Of the water supply and the
maintenance Of the supply OF timber
are together the most uses OF the for
ests. In arid and humid regions alike.
prosperous agriculture Is impossible
without prosperous forests. Floods and
destruction Of forests go hand In hand
and the lack Of wood for fuel, fencing,
building and farm implements, is one Of
the most serious Of all handlcaps TO
the farmer.
prosperous mining Is impossible
without prosperous forests. with the
rare exception OF such surface mines az
those of the Mesaba district. mining re-
Quires timber. Thousands or hundreds
OF thousands OF cords are needed year
ly In the larger mines TO support the