The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-10-06
HUNDREDS OF DELEGATES
GATHER FOR CONVENTION
Irrigation Agitation Has Assumed a Ma
tional Phase Since the American Con-
press Has Taken the Matter Up
What Walsh Says in Glowing Terms
OF the Benefits to Humanity at Large
delegates Are Greatly Interested.
GBY ASSOCIATED pREss.1

Colorado Springs, Oct. 6.-The tenth
national irrigation congress opened at
o'clock this afternoon under circumstances
especially auspicious. Great significance
is lent to what will be done this year,
through the fact that the irrigation move
ment has been taken out of the sphere
of merely propaganda and given ma
tional importance through the action oil
the last congress i'll passing bill author
izing the proceeds from the sale Of state
lands to lie used for irrigation purposes
in the several states.
President Thomas +. Walsh OF the CON
gross arrived yesterday and found every
thing in readiness for the three days
convention. Delegates poured in by every
train, and the indications this morning
were that this years congress would be
the most largely attended ever held.
President Roosevelt sent a message of
congratulation and cordial sympathy TO be
read before the convention. .ne message
read:
Washington, Oct. 6.-Accept my hearty
good wishes. Nothing has been done in
which | have taken greater interest dur
ing my administration than the Inaugural
tion Of nationally aided irrigation.
Reception OF Delegates.
The morning was taken up with the re-
ception of delegates from all parts of the
West, morning trains having brought large
delegations from Minnesota, Nebraska
Utah, Oregon, California and Arizo.a
The New Mexico delegation reached the
city yesterday, ex-Gov. l.. B. Prince, vice
president of the congress, being among
those here.
The personnel of this congress is re-
garded by all those in attendance as de-
cdedly higher in character than that OF
any previous irrigation gathering.
Thomas +. Walsh, president of the con
gress, said this morning:
II look for the most successful gather
ing in the history of the irrigation move
mcnt"
The congress opened with an invocation
by DR.. Edward Braisln, pastor of the
First Baptist church Of Colorado Springs.
Addresses of welcome by Governor
Orman of Colorado, President d. B. Fair
ley Of the Colorado Springs chamber Of
commerce. Major John Robinson of Colo
RADIO Springs and |. n Stevens, editor
of the Colorado Springs Gazette for the
press were responded to by President
Walsh, formerly of Colorado now of
Washington, on behalf of the irrigation
congress and the American Forestry asso-
citation, which joins in this convention.
President Walsh's Address.
"The Humanitarian Aspect of National
Irrigation" was the subject of Mr.. Walsh's
address. In opening. he said:
Gentlemen of the Convention-We are
not here to merely discuss measures, form,
resolutions and map out plan of cam
paign, as we have so often done on former
occasions. But we are here, first of all
to celebrate a great victory, to rejoice a,
the birth of new policy which national
irrigation congresses have given to the
nation. 1t is happy hour in the histor,
OF the Great West"
After paying tribute to the patriotic
far-sighted and enthusiastic men who in
augurated this movement years ago" ant
referring to the work of the National Irri
cation association as an auxiliary and CO.
worker of this congress, President Walsh
said:
There could have been no substantial
Continued on Page Nine.)