The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-16
TO RECLAIM ARID LANDS Irrigation Congress in
 Ogden, Utah. ATTENDANCE IS LARGE France and Mexico Send
 Representatives. That "the Time Has Come to Do Things" is the Sentiment of the Delegates--Mssrsge
 . from Roosevelt.


 States and territories of the Union are represented at the Eleventh National Ir- rigation Congress, which began d four days session in the ogden Iabernacle today. this being the largest number ever assembled since the beginning of the movement for the reclamation of the arid West
 The convention has run away with the officers of the Congress, for So great Is the number of delegates already on tis ground that the seating capaci.y cf the Tabernacle Is totally inadequate.
 An international aspect was | .o he proceedings by the presence c. -p- resentatives of the foreign gC, ..ls, Mexico and France, whiie tas sss.I-s ment at Washington was represe.,.e.. by Secretary Wilson. At both tneN morning and afternoon session the keynote of the present Congress as expressed by Gov ernor Wells of Utah, in his speech of welcome, and President Clark in hls re- sponse. that the time has come to do things" was heartily cheered =
 Conserving of Waters.
 The first resolution introdut ed by Sem ator Burton of Kansas. favoring the con- serving of the flood waters of the great rivers as a part of the scheme of irri- gation of the West was received with so much favor that there seems to be no doubt that such action will be over whelmingingly favored.
 Other resolutions outlining a distinct plan of forest preservation are expected to be adopted before the sessions close. A brisk fight for the honor of enter taining next years convention is already under way. Up to this afternoon Fl Paso had almost a walk-away, but late in the day the Idaho delegation. one of the largest of the Congress. unanimously re- solved to support and fight for Boise for the honor. Reno. Nev.. is also making a brisk fight, while Portland has many friends. Sentiment seems unanimous for the reelection of President Clark and other officers. In his speech Senator Clark advocate the repeal of the desert land act of Congress. which he claimed has resulted in the practical seizure of immense tracts of fertile land to the ex- clusion of settlers. Over the resolutions favoring this repeal which are expected. sharp fight is looked for.
 Committees Chosen.
 It was 2:35 o'clock before the delegates convened for the afternoon session. The poll of States was called and the val rious committees chosen. A message from President Roosevelt received this afternoon was then read. It was in part as follows:
 ''The passage nf the national irrigation law was one of the greatest steps, not only in the forward progress of the States, but to that of all mankind.
 Ut was the beginning of an achieve ment so great that we hesitate to predict the outcome but it was only the begin ming. Now that the law is an accom- plished fact, that law must be given effect. To that end the reclamation ser vice organized under tho national irriga- ton law of June F. 1892, has been push ing its surveys and examination of pos sible irrigation projects energeticlally in each of the thirteen States and three territories named in the act. Some of the projects which promised well at first are found on careful study to be imprac- ticable, either because of scanty water supply or of great cost; others must await higher value in land for immediate construction.
 ''The feasible projects are always large and costly because private enterprises have already seized on the smaller an less expensive ones, leaving to the govern ment the great works which are to be an essential part in bringing the nation to it's full development. Great care and the highest engineering skill are required to plan and build such works which are @nong the difficult undertakings of man. kind. They must be built for permanence and safety for they are to last and spread prosperity for centuries.
 Forestry and Irrigation.
 ''rhe irrigation development on the arid west cannot stand alone. Forestry is the companion and support of irrigation. without forestry irrigation must fail. Permanent irrigation development and forest prodution cannot exist together. Never forget that the forest reserve policy of the national government means the development of all the resources of the forest reserves. There is little profit in deforestation compared with 1t. The settlement of the great arid west by the makers of homes Is the central object both of the irrigation and the forest policy of the United States. Tn forestry. as in irrigation. the immediate private interests of some individual must occa- sionally yield to their permanent ad- vantage, which is the public good. The support of the forest reserve policy by the people of the west is the great assur- ance that the irrigation policy will not fall. for the preservation of the forests is vital to the success of the other policy. Theodore Roosevelt"
 United States Senator Burton of Kan sas was then introduced and delivered the first formal address by the Congress. The Congress then adjourned until s:30 o'clock tomorrow