The Holly chieftain., 1902-10-10
IRRIGATION CONGRESS

IRRIGATION CONGRESS
OPENS At COLORADO SPRINGS
Tenth Annual Convention Has Laras
Gathering Of pslsoates-Prssidsnt
Roosevelt TsIesraphs His Coed
Wishes.
Colorado Springs. Colo. Oct. THE
tenth annual convention Of the Ma
etonal Irrigation Congress opened ut
O'Clock yesterday afternoon In the
Antlers hotel. with every prospect Of
proving the most successful meeting In
Of the session about 200 delegates had
registered at headquarters. The num-
Der will be swelled to-day by the ar
rival OF several delegations, the largest
OF which will be from the Dekotss,
When President Thomas r. Walsh
called the conference to order the ball
room Of the Antlers was filled With rep
reoentatives and delegates from twen-
ty-hve states and territories. The mes
sage Of President Roosevelt to the con-
gress was received with loud cheers and
was an inspiration for the work under
Ssaken. -
Y The sessions Of the congress are be-
PC held in the ball room, which has
'been elaborately decorated. Extending
across the stage 10 the motto. "An Ex-
Arid America" and on either side ap-
pear the notices, Save the Forest"
and Store the Floods" At the rear Of
the hall across the balcony these mot
toes are designed in maple leaves and
these, together with the shields Of sew
eral states and the national colors,
complete the decorations. Secretary
Maxson stated last night that from pres
'ent indications the conference will sur
pass all previous sessions In numbers
and in work accomplished.
The conference opened at 2 o'clock
with President Walsh presiding. Rev.
DR.. Braislin offered prayer At It's con-
clusion q message from President
Roosevelt, who had been invited, but
was unable to be present, was read, as
follows: s.3
Washington. D. C., Oct. e.-Accept
my hearty good wishes. Nothing has
been done in which have taken
greater interest during my administra-
ton than the Inauguration of nation
ally aided irrigation.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
President Walsh then delivered his
annual address on Humanitarian As
pect of National Irrigation" He
showed how tho condition of the poor
er classes would be improved by the
reclamation Of arid lands and suggested
that great good could be accomplished
by philanthropists II they would place
some OF their money in promoting irri-
cation Of the great arid regions.
President Walsh said in part:
Gentlemen of the Convention-We
assemble to-day under very pleasant
circumstances. We are here not merely
to discuss measures, to formulate reso-
lutions, and to map out plan OF CAM
paign, ~ We have 80 often done on
former occasions. But we are here,
f3rst Of all, to celebrate q great victory
Ito rejoice at the birth OF a new pol
icy which the National Irrigation Con-
gress has given to the nation. 1t Is
happy hour in the history of the great
West.
''In this hour of triumph we owe .
word Of thanks to the patriotic far
sighted and enthusiastic men who in-
augurated this movement dozen
years ago. They saw. on one hand.
what had been accomplished by the pio-
neer settlers among these far western
valleys; and, on the other hand, they
saw vast area Of rich land which
was practically worthless unless re-
claimed by irrigation. They realized
that here . new population as great -
the present total Of the United States
might be sustained in high dgree Of
comfort and prosperity.
'But there could have been no SUBJ
stantial success at this early day had
we not been extremely fortunate In the
character of our public men at WASH
ington. First and foremost, our grate-
full Acknowledgement are due to Theo-
dore Roosevelt. President Of the Unit
ed States. His message to Congress,
in December, 1901. marked the begin
ming Of new epoch In the history Of
western America. 1t placed the cause
of national irrigation In . position
where 1t could NO longer be denied
hearing. Without the powerful aid Of
the administration we could not possi-
bly, have succeeded In inAugurating
the new policy at 80 early day.
-Our thanks are also due to the
great commercial interests of the Unit
ed States, which took the broadest pos
sible view of the proposition and lent
their potent influence to our cause.
1.-The Inauguration Of the national ir-
rigation policy means great deal to
all our western states. 1t will add i'm
mensely to their wealth and popula-
-