Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-24
SECTIONAL PLAN A FAILURE
Scheme for Dividing Work Of Irrigation
Congress Fails to Work.
DELEGATES DO NOT ATTEND MEETING
Trouble in Resolutions Committee
over Alleged status of the
National Irrigation
Association.

PORTLAND, ore. Aug. 23.-That the
plan OF holding the deliberations of the Ma
tional Irrigation congress in sections, initi-
ated at the instance of Secretary Of Agri-
culture Wilson, is a failure, seems to be the
consensus Of opinion among the delegates
to the congress which is now in session In
Portland, and in this view some Of the gov
ernment officials who have come here to
address the sections coincide.
Notwithstanding that there are in Port
land about 400 accredited delegates to the
congress. not more than fifty or seventy
FIVE. all told, have attended the sectional
meetings, either yesterday or today.
The work of the congress is being done by
the resolutions committee and the only in
terest that has been excited since the gen
eral session on the opening day is over the
arguments which have taken place during
its meetings. The sessions OF the commit
tee have been attended by about fifty dele
gates and the 1000 others are spending their
time in viewing the fair or visiting diferept
points OF interest about the city.
Interesting papers were read in the diff
ferent sections, in groups of twenty-five or
more, but it is hard for the speakers to do
themselves justice.
Trouble over Resolutions.
The resolutions committee struck a second
stumbling block at its meeting today over
a resolution declaring that there is no con-
nection between the National Irrigation
congress aud the National Irrigation asso-
cation the latter an incorporated body OF
WHOSE board of directors c. w. Boothe of
Los Angeles is chairman. Mr.. Boothe is
also chairman Of the executive committee
Of the National Irrigation congress
thot 10 Of
money have been collected in Chicago aud
points in the west and Montana from manu-
facturers and others who have considered
the association identical with or the parent
body of the congress. Mr.. Boothe was
called to the committee room to explain
what, II any, connection there existed be-
tween the two organizations. Mr.. Boothe
resented any supposed insinuation that
there had been any misrepresentation by
him or by the association of which he is
director.
DiscussiOn Becomes Personal.
Personalities were further injected into
the discussion by the reading of an article
reproduced from a St. Louis newspaper,
which in the opinion of several delegates
left the impression that Mr.. Boothe was al
lowing his name to be connected with the
two organizations in a manner that brought
inevitable confusion. 1t was stated by Mr.
Boothe and his statement was substan-
tiated by committee members who had not
| before asserted themselves on the subject
| that while not connected with the congress
the association had promoted the congress
and he stated that during the last foul
| years no congress had taken place without
the financial and moral support Of the as
| sociation.
| A substitute resolution of Senator Clarl
/ of wyoming, stating that the National Irri
| CATION congress never has and never will
/ have any connection with the National Irri
! cation association, was adopted by the con
! gress.
The committee on nominations named
! the following for the ensuing year: Gov
! ernor George c. Pardee of California Din
cumbenD, president; l.. w. Shurtliff o.
Utah, first vice president; Congressman J
II. Stevens of Texas, second vice presi
dent; H. b. Maxon of Nevada, secretary