The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-22
SAY CONGRESS WAS
GREAT SUCCESS
Delegates Return Greatly
Pleased With the Salt
Lake Meeting.

That the eleventh annual session of
the National Irrigation congress was
the most successful ever held by that
body is the general verdict of all who
attended, as far as may be judged
from the statements of the delegates
who passed through st. Paul on their
way home.
The special cars Wenatchee" and
"Flathead," in which were the Mime
sofa and portions of the North Dakota
and Montana delegations, arrived in
this city last evening over the Great
Northern road, having come from Og-
den, Utah, where the congress took
place.
The st. Paul representatives in the
Minnesota delegation were George A.
Archer. d. w. Halsted, Prof. Thomas
Shaw. Thee. F. Smith, w. A. Somers,
Everett B. Kirk, Benjamin F. Boards
ley and Wilbur H. Howard.
Hon. George G. Crosse, of Chicago,
who was one of the delegates, was seen
upon his arrival last evening and, dis
cussing the effects of the congress,
said:
1.-The National irrigation congress
just closed at Ogden, Utah, was the
largest in point of attendance and the
most enthusiastic of all sessions of
that body. 1t will result in more forci-
bly, calling the attention of the great
central and Eastern portions of our
country to the Importance, to them, of
retaining the arid and semi-arid por-
lions Of our country.
Unless some opportunity is found
fol- them we should see the population
rolling back upon itself, intepsifying
the dire results of over population, a
lessening of opportunity with a cor
responding disposition to further crowd
into our cities. The observing man will
need no argument to convince him that
we already suffer too much in this d.
rection. Relief must come through the
reclamation of our arid and semi-arid
region by means of Irrigation under d.
rection of the national government. An
area of nearly third of our country
awaits such development. With irriga-
ton, intensive cultivation and popuia-
ton are possible. that can be sus-
tanned in comfort, happiness and pros
perlty, where. today no one lives; I'M
less We except those most favorable
locations where the cowboy and his
herd hold sway"
Great Northern Peoples a Desert.
The Minnesota, North Dakota and
Montana delegations while en- route
from Butte to st. Paul adopted resolu-
lions, which in part were as follows:
whereas. as we have travelled across
the arid plains without inconvenience
and in the enjoyment of home comforts
our thought has turned to the mind that
grasped with marvellous foresight the
business and home possibilities of the
arid section OF the west. The arid coun-
try trayersed by the Great Northern rail-
road was practically unsettled dozen
years ago, when James J. Hill completed
the building Of his transcontinental line
to Puget sound. We find today that the
transformation he predicted has been SO
rapid that on the plains of North Dakota
ana Montana are now located growing
communities that give support to bust
ness distribution in city and town. We
ind underlying this development for
years the earnest cooperation and d.
rection of Mr.. Hill. and in his road one
of the greatest immigration organizations
In the country. We wish at this time
to take notice of this great work in the
West whereby the valleys are being set
maintenance of the men and women who
shall there make their homes in the as
surance that irrigation will provide them
with the harvest on which will rest alike
ment of the whole Northwest; therefore.
be it
Resolved. That In the cooperation
of business men and railroad in the carry
ing on of the irrigation propaganda. we
have hopeful indication of results that
would follow further mutual effort of
business interests and transportation
companies to push forward measures that
clearly have to do with commercial pros
perity and domestic happiness
Resolved. That We extend to the ex-
ecutive officers of the Great Northern
railroad the fullest acknowledgment of
our appreciation of their courtesy to all
the members of the delegations We have
observed throughout the trip the demon
straticns of the interest the Great North
ern company Is taking in the upbuilding
of the country on which shall rest in no
small degree the prosperity of Duluth. ST.
Paul and Minneapolis, and the growing
cities of North Dakota and Montana"
In the resolutions thanks were ex-
pressed also to Senator w. A. Clark
and others, who contributed to the
comfort and enjoyment Of the dele
gates.