The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-25
BOISE GETS THE
NEXT MEETING
Irrigation Congress Holds Its Second
General Session.
MAxSoN HOLDS HIS PLACE
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AFTER
FIERCE DEBATE.

PORTLAND. Ore. Aug. 24.-After
two days devoted to celebrating
in sections. the national irrigation
congress assembled in general session
today for the second and last time
Before the consideration of the bust
ness of the congress. the submission of
reports, election OF officers and select
ing next years meeting place, VIII
liam B. Curtis of Chicago made an ad-
dress on the subject of Irrigation in
India
Mr. Curtis paper was highly in
teresting description of the irrigation
projects instituted by the British gov
eminent in order to do away with
famine arising from droughts in India
and elsewhere.
Letter From J. J. Hill.
Mr.. Curtis paper was followed by
the reading OF letter to the congress
from President James ]. Hill of the
Great Northern railway and the SUD
hitting of committee reports
Mr.. Hills letter 70 the congress Was
read by E. W. Eberlin Of san Fran
cisco. who was introduced by Governor
Pardee of California. to the congress
Governor Pardee said that Mr. Hill
was unable to appear before -he con-
gress in person owing to the serious
illness of Mrs. Hill.
Officers Selected.
Chairman George. Z, Barstow pre-
scented the report Of the nomination
committee recommending the following
officers for the ensuing year:
Governor George c. Pardee, Califor-
mia president.
l. W. shurtIiff. Utah. first vice-pres-
ident.
president.
e. L. smith, Oregon, third vice-presi-
dent.
H b Maxson. Nevada secretary
Issue was made over the selection Of
Maxon as secretary by F. J. Kiesel of
congress referred the report back to
the committee with Instructions that 1t
endeavOr to agree on nomination TOR
secretary
Boise Gets Congress.
When the matter of selecting meet
ing place for the next session came
before the congress cordial invitations
were rendered by Chicago, Risus-: K,
N d. Denver. Spokane Wash, and
Boise. Idaho. Chicago's invitation
was not seconded, and both BisTnarcfS
and Spokane were withdrawn III favor
of Boise. Admirers of the two con
testing cities voiced the merits OF each
After over an hour Of oratory, Den
yer withdrew and Boise, alone in the
field. was named as the convention
city for 1906.
Blister Controversy.
The smoIdering contest which has
been evident since the day the con-
gress convened between the small land
owner and large landed proprietors
broke forth fiercely simultaneously
with the reading Of the report OF the
committee on resolutions. A motion 10
adopt the report was followed by the
introduction of an amendment 10 res
olution endorsing the present reclaim
nation law, especially those provisions
which afforded an opportunity Tor
home making. This amendment adVo-
Gated a repeal of that portion OF
the national irrigation law which
compels the disposal of any acre
age in excess of $50 acres in the
possession of one land holder. The mo-
ton was bitterly attacked by the sup
porters of the small land holders and
after a spirited debate the amendment
was defeated and the report was
adopted as presented. In substance
the resolutions adopted by the congress
follow:
The Resolutions.
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,
cannot be invested in the reclamation
of arid lands and therefore declares
that government as we'll as private
enterprises should both be extended
to the utmost and believes that gov
eminent enterprise should not unnec-
essarily interfere with private enter
prise from building reservoirs and other
works for retaining arid lands
In order to encourage beet sugar
production in the United States. the
congress asserts its opposition to the
granting of further concessions to trOp-
ieal islands. The resolution advocates
federal legislation in behalf OF the in
dustry. It is the opinion of the con-
gress that the national irrigation law
should be so extended as to include
the state of Texas within its prOvi-
sions.
No Connection.
As confusion is said TO exist in the
minds of many people on the subject,
the congress declares that there is not,
nor has there been, any connection
whatever between the National Irriga-
ton congress and the National Irriga-
ton association. It announces that no
person or company is authorized tC
tOAiFNN inOitS III bNAAclAA VI t4AE 1OAA
gresS.
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 larger enterprises of similar charac-
ter. The federal congress Is urged &c
enact such laws as will BILE the ma
tionai government TO exercise the rights
of eminent domain when necessary &c
carry out the purposes of the national
irrigation law. The congress endorses
the effective and business-iike admin
istration of the forestry bureau, the
efficiency of the work Of the reclama-
ton service. but recommends that the
reclamation service and its representa-
tive cooperate with state officers II
matters affecting the states landed in
terests. The resolutions commend the
work Of the experiment stations of tho
department of agriculture and the
United States weather bureau for its
assistance TO the reclamation service
Present Law Endorsed.
The congress expresses a high ap-
preciaion of the present national irri-
cation law commencing especially its
beneficent provisions for home making
and urges the speedy completion of the
present government projects now I'm