The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-27
WASTE LANDS TO BLOOM.

If 1t is possible to create a genuine
interest in anything besides party poll
tics at the end Of next September, AL
buquerque, N. NJ. will demonstrate its
ability in that direction. when between
September 20 and October 10, the six
teenth annual session of the National
Irrigation congress will be held there.
1t may be freely admitted that the
occasion will be one of international
interest. and coming, as 1t will, short
ly after the meeting OF the governors
at Washington to devise plans for the
conservation of the national resources
of the country, by and with the guild
ance of the president of the United
States its significance promises that
which none of it's predecessors could
have given rise to.
At this time almost the entire coun-
try has been reused to the need for
reclamation of the waste areas In
the semi-arid regions of the west
and the work already done in that di-
rection has been of sufficient extent
and has produced such striking results
as to awaken an interest in many thou
sands of people who had hitherto re-
topics as of the dry-of-dust. ot-to-be-
bothered-with variety. At Albuquer-
que, next month, leading spirits Of the
territory, aided by railroad interests
tributary thereto, and by federal Off
Gals at Washington who might natur-
ally be expected to lend a hand. are to
take up the general subject of reclama-
ton of arid and semi-arid lands Of the
west, with view to adding in a prac-
teal way to the areas under cultiva-
ton.
Among people of official or other
prominence to attend are the vice pres
ident of the United States. the secre-
tary of the interior. probably the Sec
rotary of agriculture, the chief of the
bureau of forestry and the engineer OF
the reclamation service, all of whom
are expected to make addresses, to-
gether with distinguished company
of foreigners, among them engineers
who have had practical experience in
the work of irrigation and desert re-
clamation along the lines laid down by
modern science. It Is expected, also.
that a number of representatives Of
the diplomatic corps at Washington
object of the congress, of course, Is to
induce the house of Representatives
and the senate to come to the further
aid of the work which the irrigation
congress has been carrying on for Is
years. In furtherance of this, there are
to be offered as exhibits the eleven
reclamation projects which the con-
gress has fathered and worked for,
some of which are completed, and 9TH
ers of which will be completed before
the end of the year.
But there are II other like enter
prises to be taken care of. The eleven
which have been or are soon to be COM
pleted cost nearly s19.o00,0o0 and bring
into use 100000 acres Of land, which
was formerly desert. Altogether the
2S projects will reclaim nearly 100000
acres and, In round numbers, will cost
about s70,Oa0, 900. On March 1, last. en-
gagged in these vast enterprises, there
were employed at Washington, in office
work, more than 400 clerks and others,
In addition to the 10,7s0 laborers at
work for contractors, the expenditure
entailed being at the rate of 81, 100000 a
month. 1t may be added. incidentally,
CnaL the TcSuILS VI lu6 dCtiNAticS Va ehO
irrigation congress, and the co-opera-
ton extended by the national govern
ment, include the establishment of
eight towns, the building Of 100 miles
of railway and the settlement of $4,000
persons on what was formerly desert
and waste land, where it was impos-
sible to produce crops before water
came"
1t is some such exhibit as this which
is needed to drive it all home to the
appreciation of the people Of the entire
country, no matter how far they are
removed from the region where arid
lands are to be found, in order to make
clear the vast Importance to the coun-
try of the work in which the irriga-
ton congress is engaged-for which
reason the sixteenth annual session of
this congress ought to, and probably
will be an enthusiastic success.