The San Francisco call., 1904-11-16
Annual Session Opens With
Several Experts Present.
letters Received From
the President and Diaz
GOVERNOR PARDEE
TELLS OF STATE
Shows What Has Been Done
in Southern California
and Northern Valleys by
Use of Water on the Land

Ell PASO, Tex, Nov. 15.-The
twelfth National Irrigation Congress
was called TO order to-day by Senator
". A. Clark of Montana, its presi-
dent. The hall was decorated with
the colors of Mexico and the United
States. The attendance was fully up
to expectations. Music was furnished
by Mexican bands Including one spe-
cially rendered by President Diaz.
The morning session was devoted to
addresses of welcome and responses
thereto. Congressman w. R. Smith
of the Sixteenth Texas District extend
ed a welcome on behalf of the State.
William B. Phillips spoke for the
State University and Captain T. j.
Beall for the city.
Responses were made by Clifford
PinchOt. w. C. Johnson of Denver. C.
\. Carlisle of South Bend, Ind, and 1.
L. Smith of Hood River Or. Senator
Newlands of Nevada, Governor Pardee
OF California and Governor Morrison
OF Idaho also delivered addresses at
the morning session. Governor Par
dee spoke as follows:
ADDRESS BY PARDEE.
There is. perhaps, no other State or Terri
tory in the Union whose varied physical char
acteristcs so well illustrate what frrtRatlon
can accomplish for the general good as does
my State Of California Her hundred million
OF acres extsNding from the latitude of
Charleston on the south. 769 miles north to
the latitude OF Boston, embrace within their
limits an extent OF country which varies in
annual rainfall from zero TO sixty and seventy
inches, In those portions OF her Sierra Nevada
Mountains where millions of acres Of magni-
hcent pines Clothe their nakedness. and in
those portions Of her coast range where other
millions OF acres Of great redwoods tower ten
score feet toward heaven. the snow and rain
fall are ample TO feed the streams running
through the valleys and TO furnish irrigation
water for all the year. in the great valleys q
the rainfall varies from twenty inches to four
or five, according to locality. But through
them comes the Sacramento and the san
joaquin and a half hundred OF their tributaries.
So that these valleys may be irrigated.
The so-caIled deserts (the eastern parts Of
san Bernsrdino, Riverside and San Diego
counties. each larger than many Of the States
OF this Union) need only water TO make them
fruitful almost beyond belief. The Colorado
River, the Nile Of the arid West every drop
OF whose water falls upon United States soil
United States, be made to bring wealth
and population TO these apparently inhospitable
years ogo desert. has 5000 Inhabitants
and those formerly desolate acres now raise
such crops as astonish even US of California
Even the Mo ave Desert, whose SANDS DRIFT
hither and yon the sport Of every passing
breeze needs but the irrigating ditch to make
them support a teemtng population
1 have 4 notion that this Government could
-ro,,s6inS irrieation works in such arid places
as those OF the southwestern portions of the
United States. And l confidently look 10 see
the day when the national appropriations for
irrigation viii go hand In hand with those
for navigation rivers and harbors. fortifca-
tions and the army and navy. While all these
are necessary, irrigation is also necessary.
And while they MAKE possible our national
existencs and increase population and
wealth. irrigation makes them certain Con
gross could in my opinion, do nothing that
would SO surely add to our national prosperity
as would the expenditure OF large sums In
irrigation works