Arizona republican., 1903-11-04
Railroad Men Who Build the Country

Merton and Kendrick of the great san
Ia Fe system will be in Phoenix for a
favv hours today on one of their regu-
lar trips to the territory. Their visits
IN Arizona are becoming more fire.
uuent. and longer in duration. and
growing business win cause them to
pay stin more attention to the terri
tory in the future.
Much Of the prosperity which Ari-
iona enjoys today is due to these men
and their associates in the manage
nent of the Santa Fe and its tributary
lines. Under their direction the Santa
Fe has steadily pursued policy OF
developing our resources and fostering
our industries. and the branch lines.
such as the Santa Fe, Prescott & Phoe-
nix and the Prescott & Eastern, have
done more than their share in the gen
eral advancement. 1t is indeed rare
that railroads push into an undevel-
oped country ahead of population. and
Z, detracts nothing from the credit OF
the sante Fe in encouraging so much
Of this class of construction that the
sagacity and courage of President
Murphy and the gentlemen named
above have been rewarded by de-
yelopment OF the country which here
after will pay satisfactory returns on
the money invested in the new roads
Nearly everywhere else a contrary rule
prevails-the railroads wait until the
country can show a satisfactory traffic
already in existence.
President Ripley has placed Arizona
under obligation in still another way.
He is largely responsible for the pas
sage of the national reclamation act
the policy of federal irrigation which
is destined to transform much OF the
arid west. Long before the movement
for national irrigation had attracted
attention in the east Mr.. Ripley was
giving to the cause every encourage
ment that he could consistently extend.
In fact. during the years when the
propaganda was meeting with derision
in most quarters President Ripley and
Yice-President Kenna were giving the
benefit OF their advice and assistance
to the men who were doing the active
work In organizing the country. When
the measure finally became an issue in
congress. its friends had the powerful
assistance Of the Santa Fe. This, of
course, was in strict harmony. merely,
with Mr.. Ripley's policy of doing
everything possible to build up the
country and it's industries. He was
far-sighted enough to recognize, ahead
OF most others. that the proposed pol
icy of national irrigation would d.
rectly benefit millions of people and
would create wealth by the tens of
millions in the course OF years. and
that TO ask congress to adopt the policy
was not to ask for the impossible.
Should IL be said that Mr.. Ripley was
acting from a selfish standpoint it
might be admitted. perhaps. for en-
lightened selfishness is at the bottom of
nearly all human progress. But actu-
ally. in advocating the policy of ma
tional irrigation. Mr.. Ripley was fol-
lowing the policy which has peculiarly
distinguished his administration of the
Santa Fe-he was proving his fidelity
to his fixed belief that the railroad for
whose welfare he was responsible could
only prosper when the people were
prosperous.
The distinguished visitors will see a
beautiful valley and flourishing COM
munity here today. but it is only a hint
OF what they will be able to see few
years hence. when the Salt River val
ley is enjoying the benefits of water
storage under the national reclamation
act.