Gilpin observer., 1906-09-06
BOISE CONGRESS
NATIONAL GATHERING IN INTER-
EST OF IRRIGATION.
PRESIDENTS LETTER READ

Recounts Operations Under the Re-
clamation Act-Would Save Land
for the People-Necessity Of Pre-
venting Speculation.
Boise, Idaho.-The meeting of the
Irrigation congress is pronounced by
far the most successful ever held in
the history of the organization. There
are between 500 and 600 delegates
from other states in attendance, while
Idaho contributed probably as many
more.
States represented besides Idaho
are: Washington, Oregon, California,
New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Nevada,
Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Mime
| sofa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Virginia, Kan
sas, Nebraska and District Of Colum-
bia.
The congress received letter Of
greeting from President Roosevelt
which provoked hearty applause, and
later by resolution of the congress an
expression of thanks was telegraphed
to the President.
Vice President Fairbanks address
was fraught with encouragement for
the irrgationists and the good wishes
he expressed were fully appreciated.
The delegates were welcomed by
Mayor James Pinney of Boise, Gov.
Frank R. Gooding and Senator Du-
Bois. Speeches in response were de-
livered by United States Senator
Thomas H. Carter of Montana, Gov.
George E. Chamberlain of Ore
gon, and Cyrus Happy of Spokane,
Washington.
The Presidents letter to the con-
gress was as follows:
Operations under. the reclamation
act, which l signed on June II, 1902,
have been carried on energetically dur
ing the four years since that date.
The reclamation service, consisting of
over 400 skilled engineers and experts
in various lines, has been organized,
and it is now handling the work with
rapidity and effectiveness. Construc-
tion is already well advanced on TWEEN
ty-three great enterprises in the arid
states and territories. Over 100000
acres Of land have been laid out for ir-
risation, and of this 100000 acres are
now under ditch; 500 miles of canals
and bitches and 10000 feet OF tunnel
hoNS pSSh NohpiSeSu, anu 4opVoVpoVo
cubic yards of earth and 5000, 900
cubic yards of rock have been moved.
Detailed topographic surveys have
been extended over 10000 square miles
of country within which the reclama-
tion work is located, and 10000 miles
OF level lines have been run. Three
hundred buildings. including offices
and sleeping quarters for workmen,
| ha :. been erected by the reclamation
| s, rv,ce. and about an equal number by
| ti.c contractors. Over 10000 men and
| about 5000 horses are at present en-
/ ployed.
1--WE may well congratulate ourselves
upon the rapid progress already made.
and rejoice that the infancy of the
work has been safely passed. But we
must not forget that there are dangers
and difficulties still ahead, and that,
only unbroken vigilance, efficiency, in
tegrity and good sense will suffice to
prevent disaster. There is now no
question as to where the work shall be
Gone. how 1t shall be done, or the pre-,
else way in which the expenditures
shall be made. All that is settled.
There remains, however, the critical
question of how best to utilize the re-
| claimed lands by putting them into the
hands OF actual cultivatOrs and home
makers, who will return the original
| outlay in annual installments paid back,
into the reclamation fund; the ques-
ton of seeing that the lands are used
for homes, and not for purposes OF
speculation or for the building up OF
large fortunes.
This question is by no means siil-
pie. 1t is easy to make plans and
spend money. During the time when
the government is making a great in
vestment like this. the men in charge
are praised and the rapid progress is
commended. But when the time comes
for the government to derUnd the re-
fund of the investment under the terms
Of the law, then the law itself will be
Put to the test and the quality OF its
administration will appear.
THE pressing danger just now
springs from the desire OF nearly every
man to Get hold of as mech land as he
can, whether he can handle 1t profit
ably or not, and whether or not 1t Is for
the interest of the community that he
should have 1t. The prosperity Of the
present irrigated areas comes from the
subdivision of the land and the conse-
quent extensive cultivation. With an
adequate supply OF water, farm OF
five acres in some parts OF the arid
West, or OF forty acres elsewhere, is
us large as may be successfully titled
by one family. When, therefore, a
man attempts to hold 100 acres Of land
completely irrigated by government
work, he is preventing others from &C.
quiring a home, and is actually keep
Ing down the population Of the state.
Speculation in lands reclaimed by
the government must be checked at
whatever cost. The object OF tho rec.
lamation act Is not to make money, but
to make homes. Therefore, the re-