The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-09-04
AUSP|C|OUS OPENING
IRRIGATION CONGRESS
INITIAL SESSION WAS OCCUPIED
BY VARIOUS WELCOMING
ADDRESSES.


cumstances.
Beautiful weather prevailed, and
the city presented gay appearance
with its elaborate decorations and
throngs of holiday sightseers. The
opening session was announced for
1880 O'Clock, but delegates began to
arrive at the specially constructed
irrigation palace during the noon
hour and gathered in groups, discus
sing the congress and the important
work that will be done during the
week.
The irrigation palace has seating
capacity of about $500 people, and in
addition to delegates large number
of spectators are provided for.
On the outside, flags and bunting
are used with artistic effect, in deco
rating. There are also panels bear
ing the names of the fourteen states
and three territories within the rec
lamallon act.
The interior of the building pres
ents a festive appearance with
streamers of various hues. Over the
speakers platform are the words:
Science Bids the Desert Drink
On the walls, in a conspicuous
manner, the Washington delegation
canuu attention to the desire of Wal
la Walla to have the next congress
held there.
Governor Chamberlain, president
of the National Irrigation congress,
accompanied by the other members of
the Oregon delegation, arrived early
in the morning and was greeted by a
salute of seventeen guns. He was
entertained at luncheon at the home
of William Shaw and was among the
early arrivals at the irrigation palace.
The congress opened with the or
rigation Ode" which was rendered
by the 200 members of the Ogden
Tabernacle choir, an organization
comprising 120 men and eighty wo-
men.
Mayor M. r. Beard of Sacramento
then delivered the address of well
come on behalf of the city and was
followed by Governor James N Gil
lette, who welcomed the delegates to
the state. Both officials expresses
the pleasure of the people in having
the visitors with them and spoke of
the importance of the work of the
congress.
Governor Chamberlain responded
in behalf of the congress.
Vice President Fairbanks was CIV
en- an enthusiastic reception when he
arose to deliver his address,
At the conclusion of Mr. Fairbanks
address Clifford Pinchot, government
forester and personal representative
of President Roosevelt at the con-
gress, delivered the message of the
country's chief executive, which came
by telegraph. Following is the mes
sage:
ROOsevelt's Letter.
''To the officers and Members of the
National Irrigation Congress, Sac
ramento, CAL:
Gentlemen send you hearty
greetings and my earnest wishes for
the fullest success of your conven-
ton. | congratulate you on the
progress of the great movement you
| represent. There is no movement
more emphatically for the benefit of
the small farmer and the small ranch
man. There is no other way to as
sist the actual settler and homemaker
who owns and tills his own land SO
powerfully as thorough this move
ment of yours for the wise use and
preservation of the waters and the
forests. The reclamation service and
the forest service are directly adapt
ed to help the small man make and
maintain prosperous home, and
they are doing it. These services
were recently inspected on the ground
by the secretary of the interior and
the secretary of agriculture, who
have them in charge, and congratu-
late you on the high standards of in.
tegrity and efficiency they have at
tanned.
'It is a matter of sincere satisfac
tion to learn that you will not confine
yourselves to questions of irrigation
and forestry, nor yet to the control
use and conservation of streams
vastly important as they are to every
citizen of the United States. l an
glad to know that you will give at
tention also to that problem of which
forestry and irrigation and water con
servation form but part, the funda
mental problem of the conservation
of all natural resources. Inc work
of the government along the line O.
this greater problem cannot be made
effective without the approval an(
support of the whole body of citizens
"By educating. guiding and crys
talizing sentiment in this direction
by bringing the needs of the people
clearly and forcibly to the knowledge
of their representatives, you are ren
dering a service of the first import
ance to the nation as a whole.
| (Signed)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
There were also addresses of wei
come by Senator George G. Perkins
Benjamin Ide Wheeler, president o
the University of California, and Ar
thur r. Briggs, president of the Cali
fornia state board of trade.
Among the countries represented
at the congress are Germany, Mexic'
and China. There are five delegate
from Mexico, and China has as repre-
sentatives the consul general and 9th
er officials from San Francisco.
. Appointment of committees mark
. ed the close of the proceedings.
| Dali ,R Dnsc