The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-10-16

luS, HFoSlQenG Clark SAID some
good things in his opening address
He said that it was eminently ap.
propriate both from an historic and
a practical standpoint, that Utah
should have this convention; here
was the cradle of the irrigation
problem in relation to Government
aid; this led to the calling of con.
vention Of all interested in the sub.
ject, which met in Salt Lake IL
years ago that very day. He had
the honor to be one of the delegates
to that convention from Montana
and he saw quite number OF others
who participated in that convention.
1T may be truthfully said that the
United States feeds the world; but
for her wheat and corn fields, there
would be starvation in many lands.
The destruction Of one-half our
grain crops would be followed by
famine snd pestilence in many parts
of the world. Japan Is discarding
the rice and black bread for Ameri-
can flour, and John Chinaman has
commenced to nibble III n ed a
biscuit" and says me heap likee. !"
In 1902 we exported agricultural
products of the value of over eight
hundred and ffty-seven million of
dollars, of which the United King
oom took about one half. At the same
time Japon took over twelve millions,
and this amount will be- doubled
very Soon"
A number Of letters and kilograms
from Public and prominent men
were read, among which we're two
kilograms from President Roose-
yelt and one from secretary Hitch
cock.
Colonization was the subject for
discussion at the forenoon meeting
on Wednesday. G. E. Wantland, OF
Denver, took the position that the
Irrigation law would .ail in part un-
less right methods of colonization
were adopted in connection with it.
He toned the movement of col
onists to Canada and other countries.
There are, he said, no state bureaus
of immigration worthy the name
west Of the Missouri river. He said
that many otherwise we'll planned
irrigation enterprises, and excellent
ones from an engineering stand
point, had failed, or been only par
TALLY successful, because the right
class of settlers had not been secur-
ed for the lands reclaimed.
One Of the very best papers de-
livered was by Commander Booth
Tucker Of the Salvation Army. The
Salt Lake Herald said of it that it
was easily conceded to be the great
effort of the session." He started
out by illustrating his points by
some Of the cleverest stories and
anecdotes heard in a long time, until
every one was in the very best Of
humor. The burden of his talk was
a plea Tor the poor who cannot at
ford to pay cash for the land, but
who, when given proper assistance,
as the Government is able to give.
could be lifted out Of poverty and
misery into prosperity and happi-
ness. He pledged the Salvation
Army to do its share in bringing
about this result and told, with q
good deal of pride, of the three sue
cessful colonies the Army has in
Ohio, Colorado and California, peo-
pied by men, women and children
who are taken from among the poor
Of the great cities and converted in
to successful farmers, to say moth
ing of the relief of the congestion
and the betterment of the condition
Of the poor remaining in tbs cities.
At the close three rousing cheers
were given the Commander.
Senator Burton, OF Kansas. in
speaking about floods, said he be.
lieyed "that if some of the engin-
GERS right here should make care
tul examination of Kaw valley,
for instance, they would find
that the loss last spring would equal
the cost Of preventing floods there. =
About thirty engineers and others
connected with the q. S. Reclama.
ton service were in attendance; they
had their headquarters at the Vir.
gina Hotel and had convention OF
their own, discussing various mat.
tiers in connection with their work.
Many of them were on the programe
for papers describing the work and
progress made in dtffarent narfs 81