The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-04

of the States and Territories Of the
Union.
1T IS important not only 10 promote
the interests OF irrigation: but there is
a correlated subject which is worthy OF
consideration. and that Is, how shall We
reinforce and maintain at its highest ef-
nciency the productive power Of the soil?
Farming is fast becoming a science and
the most successful farmer is the one
who understands the chemistry OF the
soil and the products for which IL is best
suited. We are making marvellous prog
ress in every department OF our domestic
economy and nowhere is our advance
ment more marked than in the great
field OF agriculture"
Afternoon Session.
With the announcement by Monte
! B. Gwynn, chairman of the executive
committee of some routine business for
transaction during the recess, the con
gress, at 1880, adjourned to meet at
the Columbia theater at 2;30 p. m. The
afternoon session of the congress was
presided over by Senator Carter The
programme called for addresses by G.
D. Wolcott, director Of the reclamation
service; f. RI. Newell, chief engineer;
+. w. Moudell Congressman from Wy
oming, and by Elwood Mead, Morris
Bien, Walter II. Groves, L. H. Taylor,
Wayne Darlington, Walter Granger and
Judge J. e. Baker, Mondell and Mead
were not present.
The subjects treated were largely
professional or technical, Director
Wolcott talked on the question of the
"Relation Of Government Reclamation
Work to Private Enterprise, - saying
it was not the desire Of the Government
to interfere with private enterprise. On
the other hand, its policy was to aid
rather than hinder. In general dis
cussion following the address, n dele
gate inquired how the Government OBJ
tanned the land necessary to the con-
struction Of irrigation works in cases
where the owners refused to sell at
price the Government was willing to
pay. Director Wolcott replied that such
cases were usually adjusted by mutual
agreement, but added that in extreme
cases it might be necessary to condemn.
Senator Hepburn here took part in the
discussion, declaring that the Govern
ment could not, by a well settled rule
of reselling it, but could condemn il if
the land in question was necessarily
for the actual construction of the
works.
Engineer Newell discussed "The Pro
gress of National Reclamation He
said that himself and other members
of the service have come to this con.
to be taught, rather than to teach. With
this end in view they want to meet az
many of the. people as possible, either
as individuals or collectively in meet
ings and organizations. The Govern
ment is now e1pending about one and
one-half millions a month in reclamation
work There is yet doubt, he said.
among some mon Of sound business
sense in the East, whether the reclama.
tion work is to be a success. the doubt
being based on a belief that the home
steader will not be able to pay for the
lend
The question OF putting to profitable
use the reclaimed land is the greatest
now confronting the department For
himself, he feels that II Is TO be a success
and he says that II has inspired many
Eastern investors with greatly increased
confidence in the stability Of Western
land prices and Western investments gen
orally.
Delegate Fred Kiesel wanted to know
why the Malheur project had been
dropped, Mr.. Newell replied that there
were several, chiefly financial. 1t. was
estimated that the reclamation would
cost $40 per acre and there were rro-
tests from many landowners In it's ter
ritory that the price was too high. It
was therefore dropped TO the second class
and might be taken up again when its
time came il II had not meantime been
reclaimed by private enterprise. reso-
luton was passed instructing the sec
ret2ry TO wire President Roosevelt the
thanks of ehe congress for his message
read at the morning session
President Mason prepared and sent
the following;
The President:-The fourteenth Ma
tional Irrigation Congress. by resolution
adopted, returns sincere thanks for your
splendid message to the congress- de-
liyered through your personal represen-
tative. Hon. Clifford Pinchot"
In round numbers 1000 delegates have
registered at headquarters and they are
still coming in.
Battle for Next Congress.
The campaign for the next congress
is already on Sacramento, Cal, Reno.
New, Bozeman, Mont. Yakima. Wash