Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-25
Lumber Kings and Cattle BarOnS seisi
PGtrimOny Of the People.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE REPoR
Several Changes in the Irrigation L
Are Suggested.
ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Governor Pardee of California il
Chosen President-siX cities
Ask for the Next Con-
ventiOn.

PORTLAND. Ore. Aug. a.-After two
days devoted to celebrating in sections the
Natioral Irrigation congress assembled in
general session today.
Chairman George f. Barstow presented
the report Of the nominating committee
recommending the following officers for the
ensuing year:
President--Governor George E. Pardee Of
First Vice President-L w. shurtlif Of
Utah
Second Vice President-J. II. Stephens Of
Texas.
Third Vice President-E. L. Smith Of Ore
secretary-H r. Maxon of Nevada,
Issue was made over the selection OF
Maxon as secretary by r. j. Kiesel Of Ore
ron on personal grounds and the congress
referred the report back to the committee.
with instructions that II endeavor to agree
IN a nomination for secretary.
When the matter Of selecting a meeting
, place for the next session came before the
congress invitations were rendered by Chi
sago, Bismarck, N. D., Denver, Spokane
and Boise.
William f. Curtis of Chicago made an ad-
lress on Irrigation IN India" describing
.he irrigating projects instituted by the
British government.
Letter from j. j. Hill.
A letter to the congress from j. j. Hill,
president of the Great Northern railway,
vas read. Il was stated that Mr. Hill was
Unable to appear in person owing to the
!. erious illness Of Mrs. Hill. Mr.. Hills let
Ser was in part as follows:
How this campaign was begun many of
Is still remember, and IT is right that the
work in spying out the land for irrigation,
n. investigating Its possibilities and above
Vas done by the railroad Companies. Al
hrst three and little later FIVE OF the great
lystems Of the west united and furnished
make the necessary Inquiries and to spread
the facts abroad; II was by the provision
and welfare of the west, searching for
means to increase the tillahle area, the
%esbith ~ the PoPatSSton and m the prosperity
CATION first passed from the sphere of the
book men 20 that, of the men OF affairs;
an idealist's dream to that OF a national
policy undertaken IN pursuance or and for
strange il they Rad not s now the Dtla Dtenses 81
interest In the working out of the magnlf-
cent scheme at whose birth they presided
and whose infancy was nurtured by theil
care For by II the boundaries OF man,
heritage are to be enlarged, the volume o
be almost indefinitely expanded, and tn,
total sum of the worlds available wealth
and at the same time the conditions OF IN,
Individual laborer, of the family, of tn,
home, may be so bettered as to COunterac
those tendencies that are commonly ad
mitted to be threatening in the develop
ment OF the race and the rearing OF
higher civilization.
Land Owner Foundation of Progress
The need of this new area for home build
ing is immediate and pressing. There lie
the great source of wealth which alone ma,
| and must be drawn upon without intermis
sion for mans needs. The forest falls tn
~ mine ls depleted of Its precious contents
even the seas might II searched too severel
cease to give tribute but the soil Is tn
last unfailing resource. Play games as W
may with picture cards adorned with othe
names, the man at the bottom, the ma
with his foot upon a plot of ground, tn
$man who Is drawing from the earth foo
for himself and others is the foundation o
all Advancement as we'll as of all pros
perity Make way for him, fer where he
decaying the pillars of the state are weak
enng, and all the more impressive form
Of wealth are trembling toward the dust.
The need of more land spaces for tn
home builders is created by the rapid sci
tlement OF the country and precipitated an
laws which tend toward the exhaustion {
the public domain by the land monopolis
and speculatoT. Except in a few selecte
spots where the influence of the ralroa
companies as colonizers has been exercise
to secure actual settlement on their landi
the influx of actual cultivators Is so sma
as scarcely to be reckoned with. Thos
who go upon government land In our da
for the purpose of making homes are
handful. In contrast with this the follow
Ing table giving the increase In area
public lands passing into private ownershi
bach year, shows how rapidly our patr
mony is passing away;