The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-10-19
|DAHO'S VICTORY
OVER THE DESERT
To Be Celebrated Next Year by
a Great SagebruSh
Fiesta.
COMMEMORATE NEW ERA
OTHER STATES IN ARID BELT IN
VITED TO PARTICIPATE.

A corporation has been formed in Po-
catello for the purpose of promoting a
great Sagebrush Fiesta, to be held
some time during 1908, in honor Of the
conquest of the desert. Idaho ranks
high among irrigated states, and its
people, after casting about for some fit
ting means of marking the great re-
generation of the states sterile area,
have adopted the idea of L. Bush Liv-
ermore. editor OF the Pocatello Trib-
une. The services Of Idaho's foremost
boosters have been enlisted in the
movement, and it is purposed to make
the Sagebrush Fiesta one of the most
memorable events in the history of the
west.
One of the principal promoters of the
Fiesta is Blaine Phillips of Boise, for
merly editor and publisher of the
Northwest Magazine. Mr.. Phillips was
in the city yesterday preparing TO I'M
dertake some literary work for the Ore
gon Short Line. He is to make several
trips on the company's lines and write
articles which are to appear in a
Union Pacific publication. Before his
departure for Granger last night, Mr..
Phillips had the following to say re-
garding the proposed Fiesta:
"Expositions, exhibitive enterprises
of smaller scope and conventions have
become so numerous within the past
few years that one might almost ex-
rect the birth of calf to be observed
with some fitting celebration. Not
withstanding. the Sagebrush Fiesta is
presented without diffidence. 1t will
commemorate something of far greater
importance to humanity than the mere
promotion of commercial relations, the
exhibition of craftswork from foreign
climes or the assimilation of foreign
ideas and customs. 1t will mark, pri-
marily, a triumph of science that takes
precedence over any of the later dis
coveries which have taxed the credence
of the layman. 1t will observe an
achievement that is more vitality re-
lated to the welfare Of civilization than
the discovery of the elixir of life or the
fountain of Ponce de Leon.
other States Invited.
There is something about this rem
Nuisance this re-birth Of the desert
that is wonderful and inspiring. 1t is
not mere theory, but fact that has been
repeatedly demonstrated. Where but a
few years ago even the sagebrush
struggled to exist, now spread acres
upon acres of growing crops and or
chards. Every acre redeemed has been
a contribution to better humanity, To
a higher civilization. The development
of irrigation projects has introduced
millions of capital into the west and
given great impetus to evolution in ev-
cry field. The problem does not con-
Germ Idaho particularly. It is some
thing that has furnished an epoch In
American history and, therefore, we
think il timely to observe the mighty
advancement with a celebration OF
some sort.
"Our plans are in a state Of inchoa-
ton. We have only a vague idea OF
what we wish TO do, and We wish sug-
gestions from the other arid states. We
wish, in the first place, to have the CO.
operation of every state that is con-
fronted with the desert problem. 1t is
intended TO make the Fiesta unique
distinctive of the west and original
In some respects it will be a small ex-
position patterned after the Midwintef
fair at San Francisco. 1t Will be held
near the center of the Fort Hall fed
eral reclamation project, locality that
will afford strangers an opportunity To
see the old and the new. Moreover, II
will be at the door, so to speak, of the
Twin Falls country, which has been
blessed with prodigious development
Primarily. the Fiesta will be for the
purpose Of educating. In behalf Of the
Fiesta, | request that Utah and al
arid and semi-arid states assist in some
way. If you merely send an exhioi-
ton of irrigated farm products, tha'
will be a splendid text-book-and you
might take away some more cups