The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-11-16
|RR|CAT|ON|sTS IN
SESSION
Prominent Men From All Sec
tiOn Attend Congress
at Fl PdSO

National Irrigation Congress was called
to order today by Senator william a.
Clark of Montana. its president
The hall was decorated with the colors
OF Mexico and the United States. The
attendance was fully up to expectations.
There is large amount of work for the
convention. The city is everywhere dec
GRATED with American flags. Music is
furnished by Mexican bands incIuiins
one specially rendered by President Diaa
The morning session was devoted to ao-
dresses of welcome and responses. Con-
gresham w. r. Smith of the Sixteentj,
Texas district. extended welcome on
behalf of the state. Senator Clark, pre,-
ident of the congress. delivered the for
lowing address:
active operations for the construction,
of dams and canals and other improves
ments are now going on in Arizona. Ne
vada and Idaho. For other projects IN
California, Colorado, Wyoming and Mon
tana available sites have been selected
and adopted. estimates are being made
and contracts will be let in the near rd-
ture. In all of these cases sums have
been set aside ranging from two and II
quarter million dollars to three million
dollars to carry on the work when the
contracts are completed.
I'm order to prevent private appropria-
ion OF land and water rights by specula-
-ors in the localities which seems to be
applicable to the provisions of the law,
the department OF the interior has wtn-
drawn from entry large areas OF land In
the several states. amounting to f3,50109c
acres. of which some three and halr
million acres have been founc to be In
applicable and have been restored to the
public domain. The total amount Of land
available for irrigation has been various
ly estimated to be from fifty to sixty
million acres. which. when made produc-
tive. will sustain a population of from
twenty to twenty-five millions Of people
''As the government cannot proceed uu-
I'll the titles are properly vested in it. L.
Is evident that rapid progress in every
locality cannot be expected The work is
being prosecuted in thirteen states anc
three territories. and all possible projects
are being examined. Some of them which
upon the surface seem easy and feasible
are found upon careful examination to De
entirely impracticable ard their abandon
ment gives rise to disappointment ana
adverse criticism which is entirely un-
justifable.
bursed for every dollar expended In the
course of time. by the settler, for the
price of land TO which he acquires title
and the cost of the improvements which
shall be assessed to him. No returns can
be expected for some years to come ana
under the ten-year instalment plan the
reimbursements will be very slow. After
ten years the receipts will be very large
and they may be reinvested In new Inn
provements. In the meantime the aid or
the government should be invoked.
Sufficient has already been accom-
plished TO arouse national interest in
the importance of this work. wha. ever
benefits one section of this republic can
not fail to benefit the whole country, ana
this scheme is not a sectional one, as the
welfare of more than one-half of It's entire
area Is involved. and the indirect eontr;-
button to the national prosperity of the
other half is ncaieulable The east must
depend upon the west for It's food supply
and likewise for market for its manu-
featured products. This is the kind Of
reciprocity that enriches the country
genuine American reciprocity"
Senator Newlands of Nevada, Covernos
Pardee of California and Governor Nor
rison of Idaho also delivered addresses.