The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1904-10-27

The following article from William
T.. Smythe, was published in the
Salt Lake Herald o. Oct. END: The
writer was the pioneer OF irrigation
In the arid region. He was the editor
of The Irrigation Age" ard is
acknowledged as the leader 0f the
irrigation movement.
ut was my privilege TO participate
for short timeIu the presidential
campaign IN your state In the course
Of q rapid tour of the Rocky Noun
tain region. have reached as many
people as could with my voice and
by means OF the newspapers. but |
am anxious To reach all the voters,
especially those who get their living
from the soil. Hence, ! venture 10
send you this biief address.
came to Utah with message.
II Is the same message which | have
been preaching TO my countryinen
for many years In fact, ever since |
started out, feeble voice crying In
the wilderness, t0 make the battle
for national irrigation.
God directed the footsteps OF our
fathers TO rich and virgin continent.
Our people have labored for nearly
three centuries In transforming this
continental item Of raw material In
to the finished product Of civiliza
tion. This Is the true explanation oil
our marvellous prosperity, surprising
that OF all our rivals
Now, we have come TO the parting
OF the ways. The two historical
parties, between whom power xha'
been divided since the founding o.
the republic, differ sharply as to thu
road which our people should taxi
from this time on.
The republican party, under TN
aggressive leadership OF Theodor
Roosevelt, believes that great armies
mighty fleets and expanding colonie
! In far Islands and continents are es
I sential to the continued importanc
} of the nation. They insist that "
, must be a world power after th
manner OF Germany, Russia an
Great Britain. 1t Is their conceI
! ton Of what constitutes the tru
4 grandeur of nations. They ask 20
To hold up their hands In carryin
; out a military and colonial pole
which shall not only equal, but su
9 pass, the leading empires OF Europe
= We took this fork In the road AS
= result of tile war with Spain. Bt
. we did not get fully started until Il
: peace loving william Mckinley fe
\ at the hands of wicked assassin AZ
9 was succeeded by the war-lovir
. Theodore Roosevelt. The admin
4 tratlon of Roosevelt has cost In tin
z OF peace s2ii ,O00,Oo more than Il
. administration OF Mckinley cost
~ time Of war. hut to fully realize u
y startling change which has con
about, we must compare the cost
army and navy under Roosevelt wi
the cost OF the same items under &
last democratic president, holdiI
Office only eight years ago.
III For the navy, Roosevelt has spe
a23I, OOO, 900 more than Clevela
spent.
For the army, Roosevelt has spe
s2s4, 000, 900 more than Cleveland.
Both OF these figures are exclusi
OF pensions.
And still, we have only begun
transformation from the peaceful
public to the military empire L
secretary OF the navy says we are
have "the greatest navy In I
world" greater even than that
England, which stands guard agail
400, 900, 900 armed enemies liyl
across the narrow channel, which
to protect the greatest mercha
marine In the world, aud whose wi
flung colonies are scattered all o
the globe. Though our situation
totally different, and though all
progress has been made without b
deniug our people with such terri
cost, the republican proposition
that we shall 20 forward until
snrpass the warlike powers In
regard,
The democratic party stands TO
very different policy. II Is for
ley OF domestic development
building the republic ut home
- stead of expanding the eml
- abroad.
We have about 5000, 900 year
irrigation. 1t Is to be divided
I tween ID states and territories, $
amounts To about s5Oo,oo0, a
for each. This Is totally inadequ
al The entire reclamation fund
ON hand accumulated from Il
~ years receipts Of the land oh
might be wisely, probably and il
spent In Utah alone,
| The price of a single trst-C
hattleshlp (about s7,0oO, 600 "
make homes for tens of Thousand