The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1903-09-23

Merit must govern, not only in the
selection Of men, but still more in the
selection of the projects. Every rec
lam alton project selected for construct
ION must possess qualities which COM
mend it as national undertaking
certain to reclaim large tracts OF arid
land to support in we'll being dense
and vigorous population
One of the principal speakers today
was Senator Burton of Kansas, who
advanced novel scheme for obtain
ing more government aid for irriga-
tion on the theory that the storage OF
water at the headwaters of the western
streams would help the Mississippi
valley and save the tremendous des.
truction resulting from the floods.
OGDEN, Sept. l6.-It developed to-
d''y that the fight over the proposal
tt commit the N alton al Irrig alton con-
gress in favor of repeal of several OF
the existing land laws, including the
desert land act, the timber and stone
act and the Communication clause of the
homestead act, will be a close one.
Champions both for and against such
action were heard at today's session
OF the congress.
George H. Maxwell, Of the executive
committee of the National Irrigation
associ alton, and Sena ator Paris Glib
son, of Montana, favor such action,
while Congressman Mondell, in a
legthy speech, took strong grounds
against such repeal.
This was a day of hard work for
the delegates. Besides listening to
half dozen speeches, numerous reso.
lutions were introduced and referred
to the resolutions committee, of
which Senator Smoot of Utah is chair
man. The committee appointed last
year to investigate the desirability OF
atfiliation with the Trans Mississippi
congress reported against such action
on the ground that the time had not
come for such action, and the report
was adopted unanimously.
The morning session was devoted to
colonization and the opinions of rail.
road men and sociologists on the best
methods Of settling the arid region
with desirable class of farmers and
stockmen. The feature of the morn
ing session was the speech of Com
mander Booth Tucker of the Saliva.
tion army, who gave a complete de.
scription of the methods pursued in
; the Salvatio army colonies of Cali
!; fornia and of Colorado in settling
: them with people from the tenement
quarters Of the east. All of the speak
!. ers urged cooperation between the
states: land owners and railroads in
the general scheme of colonization,
without which, they said, the scheme
} Of irriga alton was of no value.
; Immediately after the congress was
called to order Senator Carey of
Wyoming, chairman of the committee
appointed last year to consider the
advisability of consolidation with the
Trans.Mississippi congress, reported
against such action, recommending
that the National Irrig alton congress
be maintained and its session annual
be held. The recommended alton was
adopted unanimously.
Resolutions were introduced for
statehood for New Mexico, Arizona
and Oklahoma: for the protection of
water sheds supplying municipali-
ties with water: to permit the entry
} and location of coal lands on forest
reserves, and petitioning congress to
repeal the lieu land provision of the
forest reserva alton law, and that pri-
vate lands in forest reserves should
be purchased or acquired by condem-
nation.
OGDEN, Sept. 17.-Practica ilustra~
tions of what irrig alton will do for
western land and the best methods Of
supplying the needed moisture to the
arid stretches of the west as we'll as
the theoretical science of irrigation
were set before the deleg ates to the
National Irrigation congress at to.
days session.
This mornings session was almost
entirely devoted to the reading of pa.
pers by government experts in irriga
tion and forestry headed by their
chief, Secretary of Agriculture James
Wilson, who gave very comprehen-
sive description of the work the de-
partment of agriculture is doing in the
. matter of irrigation.
. Senator Francis G. Newlands, of
Nevada, was the first speaker on the
: long program for today. He spoke
!, on estate Cooperation with National
, lrrigation.' Mr.. Newlands remarked
that one of the difficulties in framing
the natioaal irrigation act was the un-