The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-09-01

r1SdClOn IOr lnS men Vi lOudy anu II
was most appropriate that Is years
ago, the first annual session of the
National Irrigation Congress was held
at Salt Lake City. At that time there
sprung into existence, full fedged at
it's birth, the organization known as
the National Irrigation Congress; the
child OF the ambition, intelligence and
patriotism of the men who settled
in the western land to create homes,
build fortunes and create an inland
empire.
"The organization embodied from
the start the combined efforts of all
classes of ambitious and patriotic men
and women The executive of the ma
ton became interested and partici-
pated in the movement through his
message to the Congress of the Unit
ed States. He gave the movement
his personal recognition and attention
and today the idea embodied in the
resolutions passed bV the sessions of
the congress during the last Is years
have become crystaliZed into a fixed
policy for this government
"The National Irrigation Congress
is a deliberative and advisory body,
composed of delegates from, all coun-
tries, states and districts, chosen to
represent their respective districts
and endowed with special qualifica-
tons by way of experience, Observa-
ton and study and thoroughly equip
ped in rendering valuable assistance
in the consideration of irrigation prob
lens and policies.
"The personnel of the congress en-
braces the highest officers in the gen
eral government, governors and legis-
latOrS of states as well as prominent
men in all walks of life; profession
al, commercial, manufacturing, agri-
cultural. stock raising and finance.
Although from its inception the
National Irrigation Congress has re-
ceived official recognition from the
general government, as we'll as i'm
mediate recognition of it's usefulness
and the unlimited possibilities of it's
value to national welfare from gov
ernmental headquarters of both state
and nation, the congress has received
particular attention in this line from
the national government under the
last two administrations.
''This emphatic appreciation of the
presidents of the United States, and
more particularly the expressions and
actions of President Roosevelt, has led
to the same point of view and the
same action on the part Of the rulers
of the nations of the eastern CONT
nent. Not only have the previous
sessions of the Irrigation Congress
been attended by accredited delegates
of other nations, but even at this
early date prior to the sixteenth con-
gress, information is being received
almost daily of the appointment of
larger number of foreign delegates
than ever before. Among those al
ready announced are representatives
from Germany, England, Portugal,
Porto Rico, Mexico and two other
South American republics. One spe-
cial feature of the coming congress
will be the report of committee
appointed at the last session at Sacra-
mentO to consider the proposition SOf
organizing an International Irrigation
Congress, having the same aims and
objects, but upon a broader basis and
larger scope.
"The national reclamation act be-
came law June II, 1902, and since
that date operations under the act
have been carried on energetically by
the reclamation service. In this SER
vice are employed more than 400
skilled engineers and more than 10000
men and 5000 horses are engaged in
the construction of the great irrigation
systems now under construction in
all parts of arid ard semi-arid Amer
lea.
That portion of the United States
directly under the reclamation act has
eVery reason for Generalization The
progress of the work has been rapid
and every state of the intermountain
country has been directly benefited by