The Grit-advocate., 1905-09-01
WORK FOR IRRIGATION
BOISE GETS THE NEXT MEETING

| oOlSE GELS THE NEXT Meeting
Irrigation Congress at Portland Elects
Officers, Adopts Resolutions
and Adjourns.
Portland, Ore. Aug 25.-After two
days devoted to deliberating in Sec
tions, the National Irrigation Congress
assembled in general session yester-
day for the second and last time.
| William E. Curtis of Chicago made
an address on Irrigation In India"
which was followed by the reading Of
q letter from President James J. Hill
of the Great Northern railway.
| Chairman George E. Barstow pre-.
sented the report of the nominating
committee. recommending the follow
ing officers for the ensuing year:
| Gov. George C. Pardee. president:
l.. w. Shurtliff. Utah. first vice presi.
dent; ]. H. Stephens, Texas, second
vice president; E. l.. Smith. Oregon,
third vice president; H. b. Maxon, Ne
vada, secretary. The officers were
elected as named.
When the matter of selecting meet
ing place for the next session came
before the congress, invitations were
rendered by Denver, Chicago. Bis.
marck, North Dakota, Spokane and
Boise. Chicago's invitation was not
seconded and both Bismarck and Spo.
kane were withdrawn in favor of Boise.
After over an hour of oratory Denver
withdrew and Boise, alone in the field,
was named as the convention city for
1906.
A motion to adopt the report Of the
| M ,r,it I,,fi
by the introduction of an amendment
to resolution indorsing the present
reclamation law, especially those pro-
visions which offered an opportunity
Cor home making. This amendment
advocated repeal of that portion Of
the national irrigation law which COM
pels the disposal of any acreage in ex
cess of 100 acres in the possession Of
one landholder.
The motion was bitterly attacked by
the supporters Of the small landhold-
ers. and after a spirited debate the
amendment was defeated. but the re-
port was adopted as presented. In
substance the resolutions adopted by
the congress follow:
Endorsement of statehood for the
territory of New Mexico, and joint
statehood for Oklahoma and Indian
Territory. The congress believes that
too much capital, public and private,
can not be invested in the reclamation
Of arid lands. Another resolution OF
much the same purport declares that
government as well as private enter
prise should both be extended to the
utmost and believes that government
enterprise should not unnecessarily
interfere with private enterprise, nor
should private enterprise unnecessa-
rily interfere with or prevent govern
ment enterprise from building reser-
voirs and other works for reclaiming
/ arid lands.
In order to encourage beet sugar pro-
ducton in the United States, the con
gress asserts its opposition to the
granting of further concessions to trop-
ical islands. The resolution advocates
federal legislation in behalf Of the in
dustry.
1t is the opinion Of the congress that
the national irrigation law should be
SO extended as to include the state Of
Texas within its provisions.
Confusion being said to exist in the
minds of many people on the subject,
the congress declares that there is not
any connection whatever between the
| NdiloHtll llISdlloll SoHEiNSo anu 'hS
National Irrigation Association. It an
nounces that no person or company is
authorized to collect money in behalf
of the congress.
The congress also favors the early
reclamation of small tracts of land,
whenever the cost per acre of reclama-
ton does not exceed the cost per acre
| of large enterprises of similar char
acter.
The federal Congress Is urged to en-
act such laws as will enable the ma
tional government to exercise the
| rights of eminent domain when nee
essary to carry out the purposes OF the
national irrigation law.
The congress endorses the effective
and businesslike administration Of the
Forestry Bureau, the efficiency of the
work of the reclamation service, but
recommends that the reclamation SER
vice and its representatives cooperate
with state officers in matters affect
ing the states landed interests.
| The resolutions commend the work
of the experiment stations of the De-
partment Of Agriculture and the
| United States Weather Bureau for It's
| assistance to the reclamation service.
The congress expresses a high ap-
preclatlOn OF tne present HallOnal lrll-
cation law, commenting especially its
beneficent provisions for home max
| ing, and urges the speedy completion
Of the present government projects
now under consideration.
In order to remedy the unsatisfac.
tory provision of the constitution Of
the congress which compels 1t to con-
duct its deliberations In sectional
meetings, the constitution was
amended so as to provide for general
session each day during the conven-
ton of the congress, but the congress
may, If II deems best, also conduct sec
tional meetings.