Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-03
Vice President Delivers Notable
Address to Hosts Gathered in
Interest of Reclamation of
the Desert,
DISTINGUISHED MEN TO
TAKE PART IN MEETING
Governors Senators, Con-
greSsnen and Hundreds of
Workers Gather In California
Capital to Take Part,


Sacramento, Cal, Sept. 2.-Dozens
of governors, senators, representatives
in congress and distinguished men at
tended the opening session of the Ma
tional Irrigation congress here today.
The delegates were welcomed to Cali
fornia by Governor Gillett on behalf Of
the state, and by Mayor BeaCd on be-
half Of the city. Vice President Fair
banks was the principal speaker and
his address made a profound impress
sion on the delegates and visitors as
sembled:
The Vice Presidents. Address.
"The suggestion that the govern
ment should participate i'm the work 1f
irrigation awakened some opposition
among those who had given little
thought ito It and who failed to real
ize its tremendous possibilities. | look
upon no incident of my public service
with more satisfaction than the sup
port which l gave to putting the
reclamation act upon the statute
book. The measure now speaks
for itself. Its critics have become
its supporters, and the marvel Of
it all is that its virtues were
not earlier foreseen and such a meas
ure sooner enacted. The work of de-
velopment under it may sometimes
seem to be slow. The results, how
csc aF8 sure Thnsc mbu are fa-
miliar with what has been done by
the government will agree that much
progress has been made and that the
faithful execution of the law will re-
suit in bringing under a high state of
cultivation many million acres of lands
which are now unproductiVe.
"The effect of irrigation in this wes-
tern country can be appreciated only
by those who are familiar with II
from personal observation. The
change made i'm the conversion of an
arid waste into fruitful fields seems al
most incredible. There is no more
radical transformation to be found
anywhere than in the parched valleys
and plains which have been irrigated
and which prior thereto produced
nothing but sage brush. The most un-
productive land has become the most
fertile From the worst, It takes ~ank
as the best It is hard 20 and any
where more apparently unproductive
land than rnat which Is occupied by
sage brush, and no more bountiful
harvcsts are gathered than those
which this same forbidding land pro-
duces when touched by the vitalizing
influence Of irrigation There are
promising fields today where there was
no sign of habtation before we entered
upon the present reclamation policy,
and what Is being done Is but pro-
phetic of what we shall accomplish
II we faithfully adhere to the policy
upon which we have entered and carry
Il out to the limits of its possibilities.
eve have long since passed the ex-
lperimental stage and II only remains
to push the work wherever feasible
with the utmost vgor. With the
reclamation Of every ten or twenty
acres of land means the creation of
a homestead which fiji comfortably
support family of Industrious, intelli-
gent and patriotic American citizens.
"The development of irrigation by
the national government must have
profound and far-reaching influence
upon the general subject of irrigation
throughout the country 1t viii tend
powerfully TO the extension of irriga-
ton into portions Of the country
which have hitherto relied largely
upon rainfall In the cultivation and
growing of crops. There is no more
Important subject for the considera-
tion of farmers I'm many Of the humid
and semi-humld regions than that OF
so-called supplemental irrigation we
must prepare more and more for the
increased demand upon our food sup
ply which comes with the multiplying
millions of our population. Therefore.
the development of the subject OF irri-
CATION Is Of interest. not only to the
farmers of these great western regions.
but to the farmers and consumers ev-
erywhere.
1--WE do substantial and permanent
service to our country by charging
the area into which men and women
may come from the congested centers
and find occupation for their energies
land homes for their heads. Let a
man own a piece of ground which he
may cultivate, put him into partner
shin with nature and II Will Intensity
his love of country and make him a
more stable conservative, and patrl-
otic citizen. Increase the home build
ers and the house owners OF the re-
public and you augment its-real abid-
ing strength,
'eThc development OF the reclama-
tlon service In this western country
means the increase of migration hither
OF many desirable citizens. II means
that I'm good time many immigrants
who otherwise would settle upon the
Atlantic seaboard viii come here and
avail themselves of the opportunities
which are TO be found In this vast re-
gion where natures bounties afford mi
ample and inviting field II Is In our
economic and national Interest that
more of them should come. into the
Pacific statos and aid you IN the great
work of building up your agriculture
end your trade and IN creating here
a splendid. progressive civilization.
"One of the most promising things
| IN the extension of Irrigation II the
development OF the beet sugar indus
try. This ls n subject n no mere To-
cal Importance. We are sending