Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-09-03

an the people SO far our promises % the
people IN regard 10 it have an been made
good: and / have faith that this policy
will DO carried 10 successful completion
because | believe that the people * the
west are behind IT,
Sincerely yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
vice President Fairbanks address
was as follows:
Y. 4. FAIRBANKS SPEECH.
"Mr President and members OF the
National Irrigation Congress Il is i'm
possible 90 eXaggerate the importanc4
Of The work in which YOU are engaged.
II is frought with fsr-reaching inter-
est. not only 20 the present but to the
future IL Is a subject 10 which / have
given considerable attention during my
public service, FOR ! have been firm
believer IN the feasibility OF national
irrigation, as now contemplated, IN the
arid and semi-arld regions. II VII bring
under cultivation large areas Of the
public domain which would otherwise
remain sterile and practically unin-
habltable.
The rapid increase Of population and
the presumption and settlements Of the
arabic portions Of the public lands has
rendered II important that We should
reclaim the waste places and make
them productive through a wise irrlga-
ton system which lies beyond the ca
pacity OF individual effort. This policy
Is In the highest degree benefcent. II
not only enlarges the field OF whole
some, individual opportunity but II Is
In a very especial degree. az national
significance. II Increases the oppor-
tunity Tor the development OF the ag-
rlcultural regions OF the Republic. for
multiplying the number Of American
farms and American homes, thereby
augmentiug the great conservative
forces which are the surest reliance and
safeguard Of our political institutions
! firmly believe that the most con-
sentative elements viii always be found
upon the farm You viii generally ind
among the millions throughout the
great agricultural regions less tendency
than elsewhere TO incOnsiderate and
hys'erican judgment,
IMPORTANCE OF IRRIGATION
THE general subject which is under
consideration is one OF those great
practical, everyday questions which
require the application NJ good bust
ness sense. The real benefactor. we
understand. Is the one who makes two
blades Of grass grow where one grew
before. Those who have been engaged
IN the promotion Of irrigation fan most
distinctly within this definition and are
henefactors Of their DAY and kind
They have the satisfaction Of knowing
that they have IN a measure promoted
the interest and welfare OF the home
makers The home-huilders Of Ameri-
ca have been and are as rule q
hardy people in love with. nature and
enamored Of their institutions. They
have thus Far overcome many N the
seemingly impossible obstacles of ua-
ture in the great arid and semi-arld
regions. and have erected their h3ht5-
ton and made prosperous and happy
neighborhoods They are entitled to
an success in their henehcent enter
prise. Some of our Wisest statesmen,
Of not very remote past had but lit
tie conception Of the possibilities
which many Of YOU have opened up TO
our country and our civilization. We
may well believe that. with our larger
experience and greater light We have
as inadequate a conception ~ the vast
/ IlNNNllNNAffN OF NININ IN fHlfIlN NFNNIFN vi
The country. as MANY of our predeces-
sors had Of the large development
/ which has already been accomplished
/ The growth Of irrigation thus fsr is
/ largely due to individual aud corporate
enterprise II has been carried on by
our people for many years in a more or
less satisfactory way. but Il has NOT
! beer until recently the subject Of na-
] ffnur1 lf.naflaHlft No
preciate the magnitude and the possi-
[ bilities Of the reclamation service in
which the national government is en-
gagged and which YOU are met 10 en-
courage. who has not looked upon what
irrigation has already accomplished
I Go into the valleys Of Arizona. Cali
fornis Colorado. Idaho. Montana New
Mexico Nevada. oregon Utah. Wash
ington Wyoming and So on and some
conception can be gained OF the Won-
drous possibilities n the future 10y
what has already been done Fruit.
vegetables. grains and gases Of almost
every variety are produced IN profu-
sion upon lands which hut a few wears
ago seemed 20 the casual observer alb.
solutely yalueless and beyond the hope
Of cultivation I have observed in
many places, TO employ the language
OF Whittier
Orrha r1c sWapu
Apple and FRUIT trees fruited deep
Fair as the garden Of the Lord
INCREASED YIELD.
Irrigated lands are made IN yield
MANIFOLD more than the best unirri-
gated lands aud the certainty 81 good
crops seems 90 be assured. There is
a guaranty against the blighting Ell
fects Of drouth and the Intelligent
husbandman Is certain OF a bouniful
Weld as the fruit OF his industry The
desert Is fast disappearing before the
magic touch Of American genius thrift
and pluck What. a few years ago
seemed TO be impossible. Is now being
accomplished. II has been demon
strated that there Is no investment
which has yielded better or surer re-
suits than money spent On the con-
struction % feasible irrigation works
II Is estimated that some 100000
Of acres are now irrigated through I'M
diyidual and corporate effort and that
the value Of our agricultural products
has been thereby increased in'the sum
Of more than $4,000. 600 per annum.
II is also estimated that this annual
increase Is I'm excess OF the total cost
81 irrigation works through which Il
is made possible.
when We consider. In addition 10
the large money value q the incroas-
cd annual yield through irrigation. the
many incidental dement's resulting
therefrom. the magnitude and import
ance Of the subject of national irri-
CATION can be more fully appreciated.
"The government has not entered
upon the subject Of Irrigation hastily
and without the utmost consideration.
The matter has been thoroughly de-
batod and considered IN rs physical
and economic aspects When b. was
FIRST suggested IL was regarded by those
who had given Il only superficial con-
sideration a. impractiosble and as IN
yolving a tremendous and unnecessary
drain upou the national treasury. The
fact was that individual and corporate
enterprise had carried the work for
ward as far a. Il could reasonably do
81. The larger and more difficult pro-
positions awaited the action ~ the ma