The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-19

| in providing a means for better irriga-
| ton. At the conclusion of his brief
| speech he received a heary round OF ap-
| pIause, showing that his stand upon this
matter, vital to western Kansas, was
| appreciated.
Following Mr. Clyne, Hon. John Hall Of
| Syracuse, vice president Of the National
| Irrigation congress, spoke upon the past
present and possibilities of western Kan
sas. He pictured the past-the soldier OF
the civil war, with wife. upon the repre-
sentation of the government that western
| Kansas was an agricultural country,
| leaving their eastern home TO take
claim and build a new home in the semi
| arid district. Without knowledge of the
country. they located upon the uplands.
| erected a little cabin and began digging
| a we'll. One hundred feet. two hundred
feet, and more. they dug before reaching
| water, the husband and wife relieving
| each other in digging and hauling up the
earth in bucket with windlass. Year
after year they toiled, combating with
grim American grit, the drouths and
hot, scorching winds until hope had fed,
ambition gone. exhausted physically,
mentally and financially, they pulled up
stakes and started east leaving the stove
and heavier articles Of furniture because
their lean horses were unable to pull the
heavy load. This. said Mr.. Hall, was a
more trying ordeal than soldering in the
civil war had been for the soldier, and
been misled by an unfortunate half-truth
hA
had every confidence.
The more favored localities. and those
adapting their methods to the conditions
as they were. were more fortunate. They
were able to remain and make a wonder
full progress until. as about Garden City,
they had indeed made a veritable garden.
But contended Mr.. Hall. the government
which misrepresented conditions and took
the peoples money for claims without
rendering an equivalent. should now
make restitution by making an appropri-
alton sufficient to actually make these
lands Of western Kansas agricultural
lands by means of irrigation.
Continuing Mr.. Hall said that the semi
arid plains of western Kansas would,
with adequate irrigation facilities. sup
port $4,000 homes, 5000, 900 people, with
forty acres to home. giving the inhab-
itants all the advantages OF a combined
city and country life, good roads. good
markets. electric railroads, telephones.
rural mail routes. churches. schools,
manufactures. etc. a country teeming
with happy. prosperous. healthy people.
For its own sake. to provide for the re-
Of Of aefa A
cities and the increasing foreign popula-
ton. the government should assist in
making these lands agricultural by irri-
cation.
The session Friday morning was devot-
ed largely to business. receiving reports
of committees, etc, and was concluded
with an address by Senator F. Dumont
Smith upon the part OF the state on irri-
cation. Senator Smith is always an in
teresting talker. The main point Of his
talk was that the state could give aid
by Offering bounties on sugar beets and
other irrigated crops and by aiding In ex-
perimenting upon some method of raising
the underfiow.
In the afternoon the convention listened
with interest to the plans of Mr.. w. r.
Turner of Decatur. Ind, to raise the I'M
derfiow for irrigation purposes. He pro-
poses to construct for each individual ir-
rigator large well with a number of
feeders. and from this well to pipe the
water to the surface at a distance Of
from two to three miles below the well.
He claimed that the cost would not be
so much as the amount expended In Indi-
ana for drainage OF their lands.
General Booth-Tucker and Captain Hol-
land of the Salvation Army. who were
here looking for a location for a colony
such as they have at Amity, Colo. made
interesting addresses and predicted great
success along irrigation lines In the near
future, while giving frank praise for the
large results already attained. Two
things. said Gen. Booth-Tucker. were
needed here-men TO till the soil and
money to build up the necessary improve
ments and develop the industries.
The program of the convention was
concluded by an able address upon sugar
beet growing in the Arkansas valley. de-
livered by Thomas Loynd. representing
the American Sugar Beet company OF
Rocky Ford, Colo He said the Arkansas
growing OF sugar beets. that in western
Kansas were produced sugar beets the
best that were ever handled by the
Rocky Ford factory. He gave in detail
the history of sugar beet growing In
America from the beginning TO the pres
ent time. With sufficient water for irri-
eating the crop he predicted that the Ar
kansas valley in Kansas would become
the center Of sugar beet growing and
beet sugar manufacturing of the world.
The convention adjourned sine die
1t is the general opinion in this section
that great good will result from this con-
vention and the organization OF the irri-
cation association. The men of promin-
ence and large influence in the state and
district who were in attendance and Civ
ing the couse OF irrigation every encour-
agement augurs well for the movement
for more and better irrigation facilities
One thing is assured and It is very graf
flying TO our people. the next congress
man from the Seventh district will be
with them heart and soul In furthering
the interests of this greatly blessed and
greatly handicapped western country
II may be. as Mt Victor Murdoch suz-
gested that the Creator In finishing the |
creation OF the world. kept this choicest /
spot of the globe In such condition to /
save it for a generation OF brave and /
true men and women who were worthy /
the heritage and for whom 2 way would /
be shown 10 overcome the Incompetence /
OF Natures dover.