Arizona republican., 1908-04-15

1 ble of course was the address of Mrs. Russell, though she modestly declines to have it referred to as more than a little friendly talk It was her first appearance as a platform speaker and ' it was plain to see that she was herself
 just trifle nervous as to her own capabilities in that line. but no one who heard her could offer a word of criticism. She spoke from very brief notes on a piece of paper she wrapped i around her finger made no effort at oratorical display and as result her
 words were naturally effective orderly arranged. clearly delivered and highly entertaining. It may be truthfully said that her talk which lasted for over half
 an hour was more interesting than
 would have been a similar discourse from the lips of a paid orator who ! dealt in rounded periods and poetical
 expression. From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaketh. was her strong reliance and given as her apol- ogy for she consented to talk only af- ter much persuasion and then only be cause she had seen so much she almost felt it a duty to say something. IL is to be regretted that her remarks were
 not secured in their entirety for pubh- cation.
 Mrs Russell marvelled that there could be such a beautiful and prom ising place as the Salt River valley and so little be known about it else where. She felt that she was in po- sition to know something of what Is going on in new countries under colon iZation, but confessed that she had in deed poor idea when she first arrived of the real situation. As her excursions into the country followed she was at first surprised and then almost indig | nant to think that so much Of the truth had been secreted from the peo | pie Of the cast and especially from
 The Earth. the colonization journal of which she is the editor and which. with its limited Knowledge of the facts hal, already done so much for this valley. She said that she had been prepared ! to see q country of vast undeveloped ! opportunities and of great promise. { deserts spread out before her thar ] should be Watered and titled with a reasonable hope of ensuing fertility. as ] is usually the case with new countries | to which the homeseekers are directed | On her first ride in the country she
 travelled for miles by green fields and prosperous farms and fine school | houses and finally remarked to her es-
 corts that it was all very fine for 1 those who owned these valuable ranch 1 es. but what she wanted IO see was | the desert land or the opportunities
 that were to be shown as inducements
 to the homeseekerS. It was then eX- | piained to her that the valley proposed tO put hOmeseekcrs on the very lands ! she had been travelling through that : these big quarter sections were to be cut up into smaller holdings and that
 these fine lands can be had at all the
 way from sl0O to S2OG per acre with ample water furnished ana an iccu-
 rate Knowledge of just what they will
 produce It was then for the first
 time that she fully realized just what
 the valley had to offer and she said Il
 is the same way with others who are
 looking west. They read of the valley
 as a great desert that must be re
 claimed and not as a reclaimed desert
 that only needs people to live in the
 most perfect agricultural surroundings
 possible to conceive. She thinks the
 word desert should be eliminated from
 our valley literature.
 n The speaker said that she had made
 d point to stop and visit the country schools as well and she had noted not
 only the bright pupils and the methods 2 Of instruction but the appointments . and facilities of the buildings which | she says compare very favorabiy with K the country schools in Illinois Wis | cOnsin and Minnesota. People desiring = to come here will find nothing wanting - in the way of schools, churches oI e society. Another point sne made was . the industrial or manufacturing op- s portunities that she thinks will begin Z to be in evidence very soon with great e CT settlement and cheaper power.
 She announced that the August issue $ of The Earth. every inch of il. would n be devoted to this valley and she e wanted no succeeding issue to pass e without something in it about the val $ ley. written by those who live here, eX- y tending a cordial invitation to all. far mers or townspeople. to send in theil
 contributions telling what is being Q done now for said she it is the verita-