The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1903-05-22
Discussed Irrigation.

at length, surprising his hearers by the
extent of his knowledge of the affairs
and the topography of Nevada In
closing his address the President said;
1.-THE opportunities for the develop
ment of Nevada are very great. I'm
til recently Nevada was known only
as a mineral and stock-raising State.
Much more can be done al regards
both mineral expectation and the rails
ing of stock within the State, but now
under the stimulous of the irrigation
act, it is possible that irrigated agri-
culture will come to the front, and
when it does, the population will in
crease with rapidity and percentage
not before known.
1.-THE State of Nevada has led the
way, not only through the peril of ma
tional legislation for irrigation, but
also in the willingness to test the work
and wish to lay emphasis on the fact
that in Nevada the authorities have
been anxious in every way to help in
working out the problem of irrigation
and to pay all acknowledgment to that
now.
"The recent Legislature passed laws
which in many respects should serve
as a model for other States. The I'M
ion of land and water under the Ma
tional law has been recognized and so
has the fundamental proposition which
necessarily underlies the prosperity
of all communities in which irrigated
agriculture is the chief industry, viz:
that the water belongs to the people
and cannot be made monopoly. zap
plause.
1.-THE public appreciation of this fun
damentaa truth, that the water belongs
to the people, to take and put to bene-
fetal use, will wipe out many of the
controversies which are at present 80
harmful to the development of the
West, and the example of Nevada will
be material aid in bringing about this
fortunate result. AS | stated before,
80 it is with the conservation of the
water supply. 1t should be our con-
slant policy, by National and by State
legislation to see that the water is used
for the benefit of the occupants of the
soil, of those who till and use the soil,
and that it is not exploited by any one
man or set of men in his or their in
terests, as against the interests of
those on the land who are to use it. 1t
is fundamental truth that the pros
perity of any people is simply another
term for the prosperity of the home
makers among that people; and our
entire policy in irrigation, in handling
the public lands, should be in recog-
milton of the truth, to favor in every
way the man who wishes to take up
given area of soil, and thereon build
home in which he shall rear his chill
dren as useful citizens Of the State.
tapplause)
"ln closing, let me say to you how
glad | am to greet you. Much can be
done in building up this State of yours,
and can say with all sincerity, that l
believe your steady growth in we'll
being and prosperity is assured, and is
especially assured by the working out
of the irrigation problem. / am glad
to have seen your material well-being.
| congratulate you upon your mines,
your ranches, your irrigated fields,
your herds of cattle, but what I con-
graduate yon most upon is your men
and women. lapplause)
sand Of all the crops you raise, the
one Of which feel most pleased is the
crop of children. am sure they are
alright In quality and quantity.
l believe in your stock
and am mighty glad that it does not
show any sign of dying out
III thank you, and good luck to you
ALL"
The President took his seat amid
tremendous applause. The school
children waved their flags, women
threw their handkerchiefs in the air
and men hurled their hats at the tree
tops.