Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-16
Irrigation Leads the People
to the Fertile Lands.
BOOTH TUCKER TALKS
ADDRESS AT OGDEN BY COM
MANDER OF SALVATION ARMY.
Points Out the Value Of Developing
Arid Lands to Make Them
Blossom as a Rose.

O0OL4Ss Ot6us 0SVtcmUcE 1O-0cSHOuS "a
colonization of the vast districts Of the
west and the legal aspect OF the whole
question Of irrigation and the existing
land laws were the subjects which came
before the National Irrigation Congress at
today's sessions. The first named subject
took up the entire morning session.
Commander Booth-Tucker Of the Saliva
ton Army, who delivered the principal ad-
dress, spoke as follows:
There are probably few more important
questions now occupying the attention Of
this country. nay of the world. than that
which is the occasion for the gathering of
this national congress. To render habi-
table and to populate millions of acres Of
rich land, which have hitherto been labeled
desert and arid" owing to the lack Of
water, is a magnificent undertaking, worthy
of the combined genius of the national
solOns and magi-the wise men of the
west-who have here gathered to exchange
views and lay plans for the future. If
Abraham was known as a friend Of God
and father of nations, we may regard
this perhaps as congress or AprahamS-
friends Of man and fathers of nations. who
shall. with Gods blessing. fulfill the ancient
prophecy and literally make the deserts OF
America nay of the world. blossom as a
rose," thus providing an ample home and
harbor for its teeming millions.
Organizing Colonies.
In September. 1897, the sixth national
irrigation congress passed the following
resolution: Resolved, that we have heard
with great interest and great pleasure
Mrs. Booth fuckers presentation and ex-
PLANTATION of the purposes Of the Saliva
ton Army in organizing colonies of the
worthy poor in our great cities to settle
and build homes upon the rich irrigated
lon 10 af no a a
and patriotic work. and deserves the earn
est commendation and support OF every
citizen Of our country. The west extends
hearty welcome to these people. and
we pledge our sympathy and support In
aiding these people to make happy homes
upon our rich and productive land"
That was looking forward before
single colony had been started or spade
turned. The hearty ring of that genuine
western welcome has echoed in our ears
ever since, and has had much to do with
the subsequent success OF our plans. On
the present occasion instead of looking
forward" to what might appear an Opt
mistic view Of the prospects In favor or
colonization, we are able to look back
ward" and to say that our most sanguine
expectations have been fulfilled, and to
thank this national Congress for the early
and Intelligent interest it manifested in
our effort to solve the important question
Of systematic colonization. Our methods
and plans have since received the tndorse-
ment of the most eminent SociologiSts
and statesmen Of this country, and while
the extent of Our enterprise has been neces-
sarily limited by the amount of capital at
our disposal, the fact that with such limit
ed resources God has enabled us to accom-
plish much has made these results APP
pear the more remarkable.
Personal Interest.
Personally I feel the deepest interest in
the question of irrigation Having spent
some twenty years in India, part Of the
time as government official responsible
for the welfare Of the people and part of
the time as a Salvation Army missionary
wearing the Hindoo garb, dwelling in their
houses and intimately acquainted with their
daily life. have had perhaps exceptional
opportunities for witnessing the immense
advantages that lie within the reach Of
systematic irrigation. In India some of the
largest rivers are captured and guided
from their mountain source to their ocean
outlet, retaining millions of acres that
would otherwise be mere desert and re-
turning In some cases as much 10 and
20 per cent interest on the capital Invested.
Not only SO, but the HindOo farmer also
utilizes to the utmost the underf1ow by
means of wells worked day and night with
Persian wheels and bullock power.
One main reason. however, why in India
irrigation has met with such remarkable
success has been the fact that on the Dor
derland and often In the very midst of these
irrigated areas dwells an enormous and
purely agricultural community consisting
of small farmers-a nation of market gar
deners, one might almost call them-who
are ready to occupy every acre of land us
fast as 1t Is irrigated, and who have been
trained In all the advantages of irrigation
from childhood. The movement of pop
ulation has here been automatic, and has
required but little guidance or encourage
ment on the part of the government.
Our case is somewhat different, and the
fact that this Congress Is bestowing careful
consideration upon the kindred subject of
colonization Is to me full Of encouragement.
Population Follows Irrigation.
To irrigate is to populate, to populate is
to COLOMBO. This Congress cannot, 1 be-
lieve. too strongly emphasize the fact that
irrigation Is dependent for its success upon
population. Colonization may be defined as
the populating of hitherto unoccupied tracts
of land. Systematic. scientific colonization
is to haphazard colonization what the rail-
road is to the prairie schooner, or what
irrigation Is to the mountain torrent or
what the red Indian tepee is to the modern
city hall, or what the galley Of Columbus
Is to the Atlantic liner.
President Roosevelt spoke to the heart of
the nation when he pointed out the dangers
OF race extinction and the Importance Of
the family-the large family-to the we'll
being OF the nation. The pivot Of true So
cial reform appears to me to turn upon the
preservation. and II necessary, the rcstora-
ton. OF the family unit. Destroy the home
and you destroy the nation. We must show
poor man how he can afford to get mar
ried and can bring UP his family in de-
cency and comfort, and become a home
owner. If this cannot be In the city, let
US throw open to him our irrigated lands
and provide him with the means for making
a start. There is no need to treat him as
pauper. We can charge him with every
dollar that we expend upon him. and make
him pay a reasonable interest into the bar
gain.
How much better would it be II the fifty
to one hundred million dollars now expend-
ed annually in the relief Of poverty in our
great cities could be devoted to the placing
Of worthy families on these rich irrigated
lands. Tax consumers would become tax
producers. Pauper dependents on charity
would be converted into affluent home own
ers. The $JO,O00OO0 annually expended for
charitable objects would be turned into a
rich investment which would be amply Sc
cured and ultimately repaid out of the
profits from these irrigated lands. In ten
years the money thus invested would
amount to $500 200, OOO which would suffice
to locate 100000 souls. upon, say %. COO.
600 acres of irrigated land, which would pro-
duce to its owners an annual income OF, say