Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-10-08

without contest Of any kind. The com
mfttee consisted of three delegates from
each of the sixteen states in what are
termed the arid belt" this committee OF
forty-eight upon credentials electing John !
Hall OF Kansas chairman and H. r. Morrow
Of Roswell, n. NJ. as secretary.
Fred L. Allies Of California was elected
assistant secretary and c. J. Gavin OF
Ration, n. NJ, reading clerk Of the congress.
Before taking up the program of the
morning kilograms were read from Secre-
tary James Wilson Of the Department Of
Agriculture and Abbott and Richardson.
government commissioners for good roads
in Oregon.
Telegram from Wilson.
The kilograms we're as follows:
WASHINGTON, Oct Hon Thomas #.
Walsh, Colorado Springs, Colo: 1 cor
daily greet the delegates to the irrigation !
congress. Your meeting to consider irri- |
cation procaims the dawning of a new
day for the great west. Let the forest be |
preserved to husband the rainfall; let the |
streams be led out over the valleys that |
homes may be multiplied for American |
farmers and still greater prosperity come |
Secretary of Agriculture. |
PORTLAND Ore.-GeOrge II. Maxwell: |
Greeting to the congress We regret keenly |
that the engagements OF our campaign here !
will prevent us from joining with you in |
this most important convention assembled |
Rubicon and is moving on to assured VIC |
toy in this time of your triumph. Please |
say your kindest words for the cause we
RICHARDSON.
Government Commissioners on Good Roads. |
Secretary Maxwell of the association
made his annual report which showed good
growth and increase of interest in irriga-
| tion generally.
Woman Delivers Address.
The only address of the congress deliv-
cred by a woman was given this morning
| by Mrs hilbert McClurg of THE city, who,
responding for Mrs. Denison, president Of
the General Federation of Woman's Clubs,
gave Greetings" Mrs McClurg said, re-
ferring to the meeting of the General Fed
Grafton Of Woman's Clubs in Los Angeles
| last May:
"The Colorado women, later Joined by
| those nf California introduced at the bi-
ennial convention of the General Fedora
tion OF Woman's Clubs at Los Angeles. in
May. resolution endorsing and requesting
| government aid for irrigation. This reso-
/ luton was adopted unanimously. When l
| first broached this proposed resolution in
| the Colorado committee room one woman
| demurred, saying that politics had no place
in the federation OF woman's clubs. Mrs.
| Sarah Platt Decker. our, foremost Colorado
| club woman, rejoined: irrigation is not
| politics. In the west 1t is religion.
Irrigation has always been the religion
Of arid lands-the reclaiming OF the So
called desert. The early powerful civiliza-
| tion of which recorded history remains was
fostered and developed on breezy arid
| plateaus with artificial systems OF irriga-
| tion. Such was that which carved the
| mighty bas reliefs of Nineveh or reared the
hanging gardens Of Babylon. or which
raised ancient Egypt from the ranks Of
! bankrupt nation to a rich land with teem-
ing population and all the kindly fruits OF
earth-under the benefcent influences OF
Father SihOr.
Value of Irrigation.
'The western world was to furnish yet
more magnificent proofs to the transcendent
value Of irrigation as the foundation of ma
tion building. 1t was the lot of Spain, says
Dr. Draper, to destroy three civilizations
| superior to her own-namely, that OF the
| Moors that Of the Aztecs and that OF the
Peruvians. These last two empires stand
unparalleled in the power and beauty con-
ferred by as perfect systems Of irrigation as
the world has seen.
"Tenochtitlan Qike Venice). whose
cleaning white buildings dominated four
azure lakes; a city built upon the waves;
and Peru, the land teeming with agricul-
tural wealth from the coast valleys to the
terraced sleeps OF the Sierras. owed their
beauty and power to the ordered ministra-
tion OF conducted water"
Question of Consolidation.
A decided sensation was sprung during
the morning in the action of the executive
committee voting to recommend that the
meetings of the irrigation congress be
merged with those of the Transmissssippi
congress next year. The executive commit
tee must, in order to be parliamentary,
make this suggestion through the committee
on permanent organization, which will re-
port to the congress during the day.
When the first breath of news regarding
the proposed consolidation reached the con-
gress, delegates from the several states
sought their respective committee rooms
and held hurried caucuses. The Utah dele
cation Of forty members, the largest outside
OF Colorado, came to a speedy conclusion
and decided emphatically against the
merger. Chairman Keisel stating the posi-
tion Of his state as follows:
Utah was the first state 10 take up the
matter of irrigation and is therefore, bet
} ter acquainted with the subject than any
| other state in the union. The irrigation
congress was formed for specific purpose
and this purpose should be adhered to re,
| hgtously We say go II alone and do not
let the tail wag the dog.
> One OF the strongest addresses was that
of President slocum Of Colorado college
who told OF the need of more extensive
education Of the young people in applied
sciences in order that they may make the
most intelligent use Of the benefits OF the
irrigation law
Senator Patterson Of Colorado said that
he believed the irrigation act would never
have become a law without the co-opera-
tion and assistance Of President Roosevelt,
following this with the declaration that
no one but Roosevelt could ever have over
come the opposition to the bill In his own
Z party.
Tonights session OF the congress was
held at Colorado college, where stereop-
l ticon lecture on Ancient Forms Of Irriga-
= Hmm was followed hY a racanfinn