Arizona republican., 1903-09-17
Irrigation Congress Debates
Their Repeal,
MAKE VERY LIVELY DAY
Chairman Maxwell and Senator Glib
SON for Repeal, Cogressman hondell
ASainst-TOday Government Ex-
perts Will Talk.

Ogden, Utah, Sept. 16.-It developed
today that the fight over the PROPOSE
ton to commit the national irrigation
congress in favor of a repeal of several
of the existing land laws, including
the desert land act, the timber and
stone act and Communication clause of
the homestead act will be very close
one. Champions both for and against
such action were heard at today's ses-
sion of the congress, George H. Max
WELL o; the executive committee of the
National Irrigation associa ton, and
Senator Paris Gibson, of Montana.
favoring such action, while Congress
man Mondell in lengthy speech took
strong grounds against such repeal.
Both the repeal resolutions introduced
by Mr.. Maxwell and the speeches of
Senator Gibson and Congressman Mon
dell were much applauded and it was
evident from the feeling displayed that
if the congress does recommend the
repeal of these laws, and it is the gen.
oral belief that the committee on reso-
lutions will report in favor of such
resolutions it will only be after a hard
fight. Interest in the possible action
of the congress on this point, in fact,
overshadows everything else that has
come before il.
This was a day of hard work for the
delegates Besides listening to half
q dozen interesting speeches. numerous
resolutions We're introduced and re-
ferred to the resolutions committee, of
which Senator Smoot cf Utah has been
elected chairman. Action on the long
considered consolidate with the
rans-Mississippi congress was also
taken The committee appointed last
year to investigate the desira bility of
such aff1iiaticn reported through its
chairman, Senator Carey of Wyoming.
against such action on the ground
that the time had now come for action
and the irrigation congress would best
preserve its individuality in the worl,
1t set out to Go SO many years ago.
The report was adopted unanimously
The morning session of the congress
was devoted TO colonization and the
opinions of railroad men and sociol-
ogists on the best methods of settling
the arid region with desirable class of
farmers and small stockmen were
listened to with much interest The
feature was the speech of Commander
Booth Tucker of the Salvation Army
who gave very complete description
of the methods pursued in the Saliva
ton Army colonies OF California and
Colorado. He made plea for govern
ment aid for the great colonization
projects of the Salvation Army. to be
under the control of the secretary of
agriculture.
All OF the speakers urged more COM
plete cooperation between states. land
owners and railroads in the general
scheme of colonization. without which,
they claimed. the scheme OF irrigation
would be of no value
The first i'll feeling shown during
the sessions developed over an attempt
to change the constitution SO as to
allow delegates on the floor to vote on
pending questions. Some of the states
are heavily over represented and as
the constitution of the congress pro-
Vides that no state shall have more
than twenty votes. this means a great
deal TO Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Cali
1ornla, Utah and other states with
large delegations. \ row was started
by the southwestern delegates. who are
pulling almost as q unit for Ell Paso
as the place OF meeting in 1904 and
after rather sharp debate. motion
to table the prposed amendment was
carried almost unanimously This was
considered blow to the chances of
Boise. Idaho. for next year From ex-
presslcns OF delegates today, there Is d
poss1oillty that st. Louis may be Sc
lected' sentiment in favor OF that city
apparently is spreading rapidly.
Awards in the fruit and grain ex-
hibit of the arid states will he mada
tomorrow. The exhibit is considered
one Of the most elaborate ever shown
rivaling that of the worlds fair in 1895.
Tomorrow the work of the Tinted
States department of agriculture re-
earding irrigation and forestry will he
put before the congress by government
experts in a number of papers. and in
the afternoon the delgates will view
practical methods OF irrigation shown
at the state school for the blind near
Ogden. where a model farm is con-
Quoted.
BOOTH TUCKER ELOQUENT.
What our American poor ask for is
not charity but opportunity Let this
congress then throw wide open before
our working classes. that door of
opportunity. Let it place within tbs
reach of the landless man, our man
less lands. Let it speak with voice
which cannot be Misunderstood, and let
it thunder at the doors Of our national
capitol and of our state legisla lures
till colonization is made much an
imperative and practical question of
the hour as by its brilliant and persist
ent efforts irrigation has already be
Come. The association of these two
powerful factors, irrigation and coloni-
zatfon. in the welfare OF our nation.
will be we'll nigh Irresistible and with
these mighty levers this congress will
lift from the nations pathway, the
dead weight of poverty and congestion
which has obstructed our national
progress. created internecine struggles
between capital and labor and threaten
to shipwrecll our future prosperity.
II matters not whether the question
be viewed from the standpoint of the
sociologist devising a way of deliver
ance from the perplexing problems of
poverty, the philanthropist desiring to