La Junta tribune., 1904-09-17
Telegram to National irrigation
Congress at Ogden, Utah,
Last Year.
"GREATEST STEP FORWARD"
HacA Ii the Presidents Opinion Of
irrigation Message Shows Vast Fund
Of Information on Reclamation
Of Arid Lands.

President Roosevelt sent the following Z
saessaes to the National Irrigation Con
Sreas in session at Ogden. Utah. Sept.
Ii. 1905. II Is characteristic Of the
nan ft shows = broad. deep. patriotic
Interest In both Irrigation aud forestry
1t also shows MS masierly intellectual
grasp OF any and all topics concerning
the public welfare;
Oyster Bay y = Sept Il. 100
The passage 81 the National Irrigation
Law wrs one ~ tho greatest s'epz- not only
In the forwgrd proErrsA u the states. but
to that o, nf manLind
II was The brsJnaiu= - m achlevement
- great that We h.sita'r 10 predict the
outcome. bot II was only the h"EtuulnE
Now that the law l. nu accomplished fact.
that must be given effect. To that end ~"
seci. maiion service orsHHlzgi unirr the
Nstional Irrigation Law "f Jlpr u. li-S.
has been pushing it, surveys aud "Safulna
tion Of possible Irrigation projects cH"r
Gstiraiiy Ia each Of the thlrtrsu states aud
thrr~ TrTritnri.s named iu the act. Som"
Of the projects which promised we'll II hrsi
are found careful study Z" Dc lmpur-
tiesble. either he'ause cf ,rauiy water sup
ply or Of great cost. Othrrz must await
higher values la land. while stiil oth"rs
sand the test aud are ready for Immediate
eo1structioH.
kec.-.ity Of National Aid.
The feasible projects are always large
and costly. because private entcrprise has
ALREADY seized upon the smaller and less
sIP<nsire oues. lruvlug 20 the government
the great works wtirh 10 De 50 ss~cu-
tisI q part Ia bringing the nation TO lis
est engineering sklll are required to plan
and bulid such WORKS. which ar" among the
sost difiicuii undertakings u mankind They
must De tuit Tor ptrIuhh"h't ana rhf"ty.
fo< they are TO last and spread prosperity
for centuries To design and build Huf
uorks a body Of engineers q the highest
character have BEEN brought together In
the reclamation Erryirr. for only men I'm.
partially Sslrrtri fur ,aEuslty alone are
crpsbls Of creating th's" great structures
Merit mast govern. BOT ouly IN the r"i""-
tion Of msu, but. stili mnr~ In the selection
81 the projects.
EvsrJ reclamation project selected fur
eoastructiou must p,~-'-s the quailii"s
which commend u 10 national undrrtaE-
tnr, certain to rrriaiW large tracts ~ urid
land aud 10 supIort W vri being dvIiar
and vigorous population Vast though the
benefits Of the TrrlH Wutiuu lHN. there VIII
be many disaUpoiHtfurU,s viii 81 HcUrssuflly
await both the advocate - sJ'f tal projects
And the men hose d'-lrr II accomplished
results outruus the slow aud siraiy heyrl
spmrnt Of these gr,u. undertakings II
should be bornr iu ui.al that bread sur
wy OF all pos-lpl" projects gives the Cnu.
erption OF their relative value, aud that a
vort Of prime impottrur" 70 one group Il
men may seem less dvsiublr Ia The light Of
vider knowledge,
Caution Urged.
rsr Is II Wis" In large Affairs TO begin
construction urrt. aud cluboFut" details VI
ter-srds. Zach Important point must be
carefully studied la advance. and the whole
plan tested aud approved before work cnn
h~gtn- Yet " wv proceed both cautiously
and pcrxistrntly under this benehcrut law.
may couI'. utly cap~et the largest pos
sAets Development Of our aria lands and
their settlement by iudustrious. prosperous.
self respecting msn and women, who viii
sIehnng. the products of Irrigated a-rtcui
turs for the products ~ mil- and factories
Throughout the United States Communl-
ties fourishlug Ia what 10 now the desert
uiii nnally take their places among the
strongest uiIIars Of our Commonwealth
hs IA o. of hp "A
West cannot stand alone. Forestry ls the
companion aud -urpuft u irrigation With
cut fesrrtTy. irrigation must full. Hermau-
sat Irrigation Development and forest de
struetLoa cannot rIt~t together. Never for.
get that the f"rrst r-r"rve policy Of tn.
aattonsi government means the usc Of all
the resources Gf the forest reserves. There
= itti. prout Ia destruction compared with
Home Making Chief Object.
The settlement Of the great arid West by
the nak.rs Of homes l. the central object,
both Of the irrigation and the forest policy
sf the United Statrs In f"rrstry, as iu
Irrigation, th~ lmtuediate private Interests
u some indiyiduni must occasionally Yield
ts their permanent advantage. Whirh i III"
1abiic good The trnchts Of forestry are
Dot sniy for the future. but Tor the present,
TIE forest reserves 81. for all the p""pi-.
bst brst for the people la the immediate
ss&ghborhood. Tor whom supplies Of wood
hfe With the wiser aud more rktliful
aasagrmeut Of the reserve ty trained men.
the greater obyi0usi! viii thelr usefulness
- to the public
Ultimate success Sure.
We must never allow our Chagriu ht tenn
Dsrary defeat and difficulties iu the
aEsmeut Of the forest reserves TO blind IL
ts the absolute necessity OF these reserves
- the people Of the West
Seaport Of tn. forest reserve policy has
grsvn With wunderfgi rapidity Ia the West
4sriaG the last few years, II viii continn.
e grow TN the last yesflge Of opposition,
osU simost gone. has wholly disappeared
hsfsse the understanding 81 the object and
ehe effect OF til. reservation. The greater
tie support Of the forest reserve 10y the ppo-
Dls Of the West. the greater the assurance
tAst the national Irrigation policy will not
fall for the preservation OF the forests Ii
vital to the succ-sS % this policy
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
assstos stewart of Nevada sees the
Great Light