Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-09-03
Fourteenth Annual Session Opens
In the Gem States
Capital.
ONE THOUSAND DELEGATES.
In Absence OF President Pardee
Congress Called to Order by
Judge ShurtIift Of Ogden.
Mayor pinncy Of Boise aud GOV. Good
ing Extended Hearty Welcome
Vice Prest Fairbanks Chccrcd.

Vice Prest Fairbanks Chccrcd.
Boise Idaho, Sept. 3-More than one
thousand delegates. representing about
one-half Of the states Of the Union,
were present today when the National
Irrigation Congress assembled for its
fourteenth annual session.
Oregon was represented by nearly 200
delegates Utah sent nearly as many,
and the California delegation Of about 50
was third in point OF numbers.
Vice President Fairbanks, who arriy-
ed at Boise before daylight this morn
ing was escorted TO the theater in
Riverside park az u o'clock and re-
! Ceiyed a hearty welcome the audience
| standing and applauding for fully a
minute,
Immediately after the arrival OF the
vice president the congress was called
20 order by "a ". Shurtlifi OF ogden,
Utah, first vice president. Gov George
/ g.. Pardee Of California. president OF the
congress, was detained IN California
and win not be present
James a. Pinney. mayor ~ Boise. and
Gov Frank II, Gooding welcomed the
delegates 10 the capital Of the Gem
state.
Gov. Goodng spoke at some length
of the several great irrigat ton projects
now In course Of completion IN Idaho
The convention was reused TO ap-
plause when Gov Gooding referred to
President Roosevelt stating that Il
was Al St. Anthony, in the state Of Ida
no. where President Roosevelt six years
ago made his first promise 10 the west
10 give his support TO the movement for
the enactment Of national reclama-
tlon law The great irrigation works
In Idaho now nearing completion. he
said were the fruition Of this promise
made by President Roosevelt
United States Senator Fred T. Dubois
Of Idaho voiced ldaho's welcome TO
Vice President Fairbanks, and when he
touched upon national politics. refer
ring 10 the vice president as a posi-
bic presidential candidate, the conven-
tion responded with the heartiest ap-
plause
Senator Dubois declared that II 4
should transpire thar the vice presi.
dent should lead the great party OF
which he Is distinguished member
and II fate should decree that he be the
next president the people OF Idaho
would feel assured that they had a
most ardent supporter IN the presiden-
tial Office Tor the vice president. said
Senator Dubois, had been one Of the
most consistent advocates Of legisla-
ton FOR the reclamation OF the arid
regions
A letter from President Roosevelt
was read. II follows:
PRIEST. ROoSENELT's LETTER
To the officers and members of the
Irrigation Congress. Boise. Ida.
Operations under the reclamation
act which i signed ON June H. 1902
have been carried on energetiCally dur
ing the four years since that date. The
reclamation service. consisting ~ over
400 skilled engineers, and experts in va
rious lines. has been organized. and % ls
now handling the work with rapidity
and effectiveness Construction is al
ready well advanced on q great enter
prises IN the arid states and there has
been goo 600 acres OF land laid out for
irrigation. and Of this 100000 acres are
now under ditch. 500 miles Of canals
and bitches and $1,000 feet Of tunnel
have been completed. and 1900. 000
cubic Yards Of earth and 5000, 900 cubic
Yards of rock have been moved. De
tailed Topographic surveys have been
extended over 10000 square miles OF
country within which the reclamation
work Is located. and ?0.000 miles ~ lev
81 lines have been run. Three hundred
buildings including Offices and sleeping
quarters for wOrkmen have been erect
"A bv the reclamation service. and
about an equal number by the con-
tractors. over 10000 men and about
5000 horses are at present employed.
SURVEY PERIOD PASSED
The period Of general surveys aud
examinations for projects is past. FL
fort IS now concentrated IN getting the
water upon q sufficient area OF lrfiga-
bic land In each project 10 put II on a
reyenge producing basis To bring all
the projects 20 this point will require
upwards Of $40 900 900. which amount. IL
Is estimated. will be availHle from the
receipts from the disposal Of public
lands FOR the years lsol-A
STILL DIFFICULTIES AHEAD.
We may wei congratulate ourselves
upon the rapid progress already made
and rejoice that the infancy Of the work
has been safely passed. But we must
moi forget that there are dangers and
difnculties sin ahead and that only IN
broken vigilance. efficiency integrity
and rood sense viii suffice to prevent
disaster There Is now no question as
10 where the work shall be done. how
1. shall be done. or the precise way
i'm which the expenditures shall be
made All thst IL settled. There re-
mains however. the critical question
81 how best 20 utilize the reclaimed
lands by putting them into the hands
Of actual cultiyators and home-makers
Vho will return the original outlay in
annual installments paid hack into thu
reclamation fund. the question o. see
ing the lands are used FOR homes aud
not Tor purposes of speculation or FOR
the building up Of large fortunes
TINE OF REFUND.
This question is by no means sim
ne. ID 10 easy 10 make plans and
spend money. During the time when
the government Is making great In
yestment like this. the men in charge
are praised and the rapid progress Il
commended. But when the time comes
Tor the government 10 demand the re-
fund OF the investment under the terms
Of the law. then the law itself VIII be
ont 10 the test and the quality Of rs
administration Elll appear The press
Ing danger just nov springs from the
desire ~ nearly every man "a set and
hold az much land az he can. whether
ne can handle Il probably or not. and
whether or no; n Is for the Interest of
tho community that he should have 10.
The prosperity o. the present irrigated
areas came from the subdivision % the
land and The consequent intensive culii-
walton. with an adequate supply % va
srr farm OF five acres In some nsrfs