The San Francisco call., 1905-08-25
|RR|CAT|ON|STS
HONOR PARDEE
Governor of California Is
Elected President of
the National Congress
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED
Delegates Declare Against
Large Land Owners and
Praise Government Work

PORTLAND, Aug. 24.-After an in
teresting session which consumed the
entire day the thirteenth annual meet
ing of the National Irrigation Congress
came to an end late this afternoon.
This session of the congress is i'm
portant for the pronounced stand as
sumed on three subjects.
1t declared emphatically that it's
sympathy is with the small land owner
against the large landed proprietors
who seek to have the national irriga
tion law so amended as TO permit the
retention of more than $50 acres of ir-
rigated land.
The congress also expressed the
opinion that Government enterprise in
the work of reclaiming arid lands
should not unnecessarily interfere with
previous private enterprise, nor private
enterprise with prior Government
projects.
Finally it expressed disapproval of
the repeated attempts to inject the sub
ject of undesirable foreign immigra-
tion into its deliberations, contending
that this subject is one in which the
congress, as a body, is not interested.
Before the consideration of the busi-
ness of the congress the submission of
reports, election of officers and selec-
tion of next years meeting place, Will
liam Z. Curtis of Chicago made an ad-
dress on the subject of Irrigation in
India" Curtis paper was a descrip-
tion of the irrigation projects institut-
ed by the British Government.
Curtis paper was followed by the
reading of a letter to the congress from
President James j. Hill of the Great
Northern Railway and the submitting
of committee reports. Hills letter was
read by Z. w. Eberlin of San Fran
who hxr
Pardee of California, to the congress.
Governor Pardee said that Mr.. Hill was
unable to appear before the congress in
person owing to the serious illness of
Mrs. Hill
Chairman George z. Barstow pre-
sented the report of the nominating
committee. naming the following off,
GERS for the ensuing year: George c.
Pardeei California, president; L. W.
Shurtlif, Utah. first vice president K
II. Stephens, Texas, second vice presi-
dent; II. D. Maxon, Nevada, secretary.
A motion to adopt the report of the
committee on resolutions was followed
by the introduction of an amendment
TO resolution indorsing the present
reclamation law, especially those pro-
visions which afford an opportunity
for home making. This amendment ad-
vocated a repeal of that portion of the
pels the disposal of any acreage in ex-
cess of $50 acres to one land-holder.
The motion was bitterly attacked by
the supporters of the small land hold
ers, and after a spirited debate the
amendment was defeated and the report
was adopted as presented.
The congress expresses a high appre-
citation of the present national irriga-
tion law, commend especially its bene-
f11fa
and urges the speedy completion of the
Government projects now under con-
struction.
In order to remedy the unsatisfactory
provision of the constitution of the
congress which compels it to conduct
its deliberations in sectional meetings
the constitution was amended so as to
provide for a general session each
day during the convention of the con-
gress, but the congress may, If it deem
best, aslo conduct sectional meetings.
The chairman of the nominating
committee to which was referred the
matter of the selection of a nominee
for a secretary announced that his
committee had finally unanimously
agreed on Maxon. spasmodic at
tempt to defeat Maxon was nipped in
the bud. and the committees report as
submitted was adopted.
When the matter of selecting a
meeting place for the next congress
came up invitations were rendered by
Chicago, Denver, Spokane and Boise,
Idaho. Chicago's invitation was not
seconded, and Spokane was withdrawn
in favor of Boise. After an hour of
oratory Denver withdrew, and Boise,
alone in the field, was named as the
convention city for 1906.
The reports of the chairman of the
different sections were submitted, and
with an expression of gratitude to the
citizens of Ogden, who sent their Nor
mon choir of 225- voices to Portland in
honor of the congress, the thirteenth
annual session became an event of the
past