The state herald., 1904-09-16
Telegram to National Irrigation
Congress at Ogden, Utah,
Last Year.
"GREA1EsT STEP FORWARD"
Such Is the Presidents Opinion Of
lrrigation-Message Shows Vast Fund
OF Information on Reclamation
OF Arid Lands.

President Roosevelt sent the following
message to the National Irrigation Con.
gress in session at Ogden, Utah, Sept.
10, 1903. 1t is characteristic of the
man. 1t shows broad, deep, patriotic
interest in both irrigation and forestry.
1t also shows his mastery intellectual
grasp of any and all topics concerning
the public welfare:
Oyster Bay. ~ y, Sept 10. 1908.
The passage Of the National Irrigation
Law was one Of the greatest steps, not only
In the forward progress OF the States, but
to that OF all mankind
1t was the beginning of nm achievement
so great that we hesitate to predict the
outcome, but II was only the beginning.
Now that the law is nm accomplished fact
that must be given effect. To that end the
reclamation service organized under the
National Irrigation Law of June II. 1902,
has been pushing Its surveys and examine
tion OF possible irrigation projects ener.
eetically In each OF the thirteen States and
three Territories named In the act Some
OF the projects which promised well at first
are found on careful study to be lmprac-
ply or OF great cost. Others must await
higher values In land while still others
stand the test and are ready for immediate
construction.
Necessity Of National Aid.
The feasible projects are always large
and costly, because private enterprise has
already seized upon the smaller nnd less
expensive ones, leaving to the government
the great works which are to be SO essen
tial a part In bringing the nation TO Its
full development. Great care and the high
est engineering skill are required to plan
and build such works, which are among the
most difficult undertakings Of mankind. They
must be built for pcrmanence and safety.
for they are to last and spread prosperity
for centuries. To design and build such
works body OF engineers of the highest
character have been brought together In
the reclamation service, for only men I'm
partially selected for capacity alone are
capable OF creating these great structures
Merit must govern, not only In the seiec-
tion of men, but still more In the selection
OF the projects.
Every reclamation project selected for
construction must possess the qualities
which commend II as n national undertake
Ing, certain TO reclaim large tracts of arid
land and to support In well being dense
and vigorous population. Vast though the
benefits Of the reclamation law, there will
be many disappolntmcnts which necessarily
await both the advocate of special projects
and the men whose desire OF accomplished
results outruns the slow and steady deyel-
opment OF these great undertakings. It
should be borne In mind that broad sur.
vey of all possible projects gives the con.
ception of their relative value, and that a
work OF prime Importance TO one group of
men may seem less desirable In the light Of
wider knowledge.
Caution Urged.
Nor is 1t wise In large affairs to begin
construction 1rSt, and elaborate details af-
forwards. Each Important point must be
carefully studied IN advance, and the whole
plan tested and approved before work can
begin. Yet II We proceed both cautiously
aud perslstently under this bcnencent law.
we may confidently expect the largest pos.
sible development OF our arid lands and
their settlement by Industrious, prosperous,
self.rcspccting men and women, who will
exchange the products Of irrigated agricul-
ture for the products OF mills and factories
throughout the United States. Communi.
ties nourishing Ia what Is now the desert
Will finally take their places among the
strongest pillars of our Commonwealth.
The irrigation Development Of the arid
West cannot stand alone. Forestry 10 the
companion and support of irrigation. With
out forestry. irrigation must fall. Perman-
cnt irrigation development and forest de-
struction cannot exist together. Never for.
get that the forest reserve policy OF the
national government means the use Of all
the resources Of the forest reserves. There
is little profit In destruction compared with
use.
Home. Making Chief Object
The settlement Of the great arid West by
the makers OF homes is the central object.
both Of the Irrigation and the forest policy
OF the United states; In forestry, as In
irrigation, the Immediate private Interests
OF some individual must occasionally yield
to their permanent advantage, which Is the
public good. The benefits Of forestry arc
not only for the future. but for the present.
The forest reserves are for all the people.
but mt for the people In the Immediate
neighborhood, for whom supplies of wood
and water are among the mt neccssarics Of
life. With the Wiser and more skillful
management Of the reserve by trained men.
tn. greater obviously will their usefulness
be to the public.
Ultimate sseee.s Hure.
We must never allow our chasrin at ten.
pornry defeat and dltilculties In the man.
ngement Of the forest reserves to blind us
TO the absolute Necessity OF these reserves
to the. people u the West.
Support Of the forest reserve policy has
grown with wonderful mpldity Ia the West
during the last Few years. II Will continue
TO grow till the last Nrstisr OF opposition,
now almost gone. has wholly disappeared
before the understanding Of tn. object ana
the effect Of the r-ssr,Htlon. The greater
the support u the forest reserve by the peo-
pie of the West, the greater the assurance
that the national Irrigation policy Will not
fall. for tn. preservation Of the forests is
vital to the success of this policy.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.