The Record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1902-1904, 1903-05-22

And | wish it were in my power
to stay much longer time in Nevada,
and If SO, would just make the Cover
nor have me out at his home. | have
greatly enjoyed coming into your
State. I have greatly enjoyed catching
this glimpse of your people; and Ia
thanking all of you for your greeting
Il know that the others will not be
grudge me saying a special word of
thanks to the men whom beyond all
Of us, We hold in reverence-the men
who, in the years from 1861 to 1865
proved by their deeds the faith that
was in them-the men of the Grand
Army (pointing to the remnant of the
old guard at attention below the plat
FORM Applause) And after greeting
you, men of the leadway class, want
to say a special word to the school
children I am very glad to see the
children tlaughter) | have six myself
daughter and applause) And it has
been peculiar pleasure to me in ira
Yelling the past few weeks to be greet
ed everywhere by the school children
For, of course, 1t Is a mere truism L
say that the entire future of this coun-
try depends upon the rising genera
ton. 1t is a great thing to have adj
juncts to material prosperity.
1T is a great thing to have tools
to handle, but 1t is the man who uses
the tools who counts. He is the one
who makes the future: makes it well
or makes 1t i'll; just as it was in the
Civil War. You needed good wea-
pons. you needed good training, you
needed still more, to have the right
stuff in you. Isn't that so? Qaughter)
And here in this great western coun-
try-the country which is what it Is
purely because the pioneers who came
here, had iron in their veins. because
they were able to conquer plains and
mountains, and to make the wilder
ness blossom. Here in this country We
are not to be excused If We do not see
to it that the children, that the gener-
alton that comes after us. is trained
to have some of the fundamental quail
ties which enabled their forefathers
to succeed, and for that reason | am
especially glad to greet the children,
and to greet those who train the child
rem.
Il want TO say one special word to
day, here in Carson City, on a subje It
in which all of our people from the
Atlantic TO the aPcific, should take an
interest; which affects in a special
way the people of the States OF the
great plains and mountains, and it af-
fects no State more than it does Nef-
ada. The question is one of irrigat-
ion (applause) Now, as | say. | do not
regard that as in any way merely q
question of the Rocky Mountain
States, or the Great Plain States, be
cause anything which tends for the
well-being of any portion of the Uni
on is therefore for the real well-being
of all of it (applause) And it was for
this reason that | felt warranted to
the sea-bordered States on the Allan
tic, to the people of the States of the
Great Lakes, and to the Mississippi
valley. to say, that it was their duty TO
help in bringing cut a scheme of nat
ional irrigation. because the interests
of any part of the country interest
of all, and no man is a really good
American who fails to grasp that
fact tapplause)
Now, the National government Is
still, as you well know-but as many
Fasteners do not know-the great
landowner in the Western States and
among all of those States Nevada
holds the greatest proportion of vac
ant public lands, and the need of New
ada for Federal assistance was one Of
the strongest arguments used in the
discussion which preceded the pas
sage of the reclamation act on JULY.
1902-the irrigation act OF a year ago.
The great extent Of vacant lands IN
the State, and the fact that its water
supply came chiefly from springs arfs-
ing in the adjoining State of Califor
MIA and the overwhelming difficulties
which, for these and other reasons.
prevented the people of Nevada from
efficiently acting in their own behalf,
made, in my judgment, and it proved.
in the judgment of Congress, Federal
interference is absolutely imperative,
and it. Is a matter for the strongest
congraulation, not only for Nevada
not only for the West, but for the
whole nation, that the policy went in
to effect, and 1t is matter of espe-
cial congratulation to Nevada, that the
Secretary of the Interior. guided in his
choice, wholly by actual conditions
on the ground, has been led to under
take to test one of the five sets OF