The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-04-29
THE NATIONAL
IRRIGATION CONGRESS
Its Significance and Importance
to Yakima Valley

The present i, an era Of great nnder
,olsings Witness the construction OF
the Panama Canal, the draining "l t'e
Flo idn Eycrulal es and the reclama'
ton Of wide areas Of hitherto worthless
lands through the agency OF lrf'eat'""'
All over the productive regions on
the South cotton is king. IN the re"
areas Of the North Central states cor"
is king. But throughout the N'S'
stretches Of the seemingly worthless
West, in very real and positive SenNe.
water is king. AS the years 90 by an"
the wonderful fruitfune1s of the so
called arid regions comes to be more
generally known, as the tecnlnE
millions unrr westward and the advai :
tagcs of irrigation, both here and IL
the older states, are more widely rec
ognized, even more Significant more
universal and more deeply true VIII o"
the walchword: "Water is King
Tho reclamation Of lands as nation
al policy has scarcely begun. 10 lht
great mr. jority OF our eastern popn'a
ton irrigation is little more than Il
name. The wonderful productlvenesS
of these western lands under the magic
touch of water is almost beyond their
belief All that is necessary TO bring
I L,p of thaea npnnln 10 ne
west is To get them in touch with the
facts rs they really are.
No other means of di fusion OF gen
eral intelligence concerning irrigation
and the products OF irrigation ana
hence Of the advantages offered ~
western lands aud western farming IS
more effective, more reliable or more
truly representative than the annual
assembling Of the National Irrigation
Congress. This is in the highest sense
a truly national. democratic, represents
alive body, since no associations cluo,
organic ltion or corporation il deharred
from sending delegates TO its annual
sessions
The larger questions such as the
conservation Of our national resources
the storage OF water, the best methods
of carrying and applying, together
with such other que ton, us retoresta-
tlOn, good roads, etc, are discussed at
this congress by men OF wide Ob>erva-
-. innnl "A
splendid thing for the worker in de-
tails to get an occasional glimpse from
the national view point.
No better opportunity is offered the
people of Yakima Valley for an ei1ec.
tive display Of the products of irrlga-
tion in general than that Afforded by
the coming session of the Irrigation
Congress ia Spokane. No comment is
50 suggestive, no influence so lasting,
no speech SO potent as the unspoken
speech OF the simple. impressive pres
ence Of the products OF irrigation them
selves.
The fruit, the hay, the grains the
Nt8' LtDttN, INC van wv 'h'tN f''
ducts added TO the enthusiastic crowds
are pERSE. AN unansw cradle argumc mt
n behalf Of the irrigated regions.
Tie Congie will not assemble again
in this state for years. Spokane is
making great preparations for enter
taiument, general publicity aud a cor
l..,l ion, n oil hn heal
the gaeatest irrigated section of Cen
tral Washington. with her wonderful
productiveness aud her still more re-
markable undeveloped resources, Sit
idly by and allow the representative
intelligence Of the nation to come and
/ 20 with no adequate knowledge OF the
/ benefits which the magic hand OF irri-
/ CATION is here just beginning to confer;
Added to the other attractions, there
will he three splendid parades and the
n II and the products Of Yakima VAL
ey should be the biggest thlCg in the
biggest OF the separates. Repre- Senta-
fves of o,her irrigated sections. born
asst and south will be there. Their
I plans already IN progress oe~pean 2
'uil realization OF the opportunities and
The benefits offered.
Special committees Of all the com.
mercial clubs from Ellensburg to the
Columbia are work g tOget her calling
ttteu,ion OF the people to the import
tuce of the Congress, seek ing to unity
he efforts. argument the display ana
Increase the attendance from the en-
ire valley.
President Roosevelt i, quoted as say
ng that the National Irrigation Con.
!ress is the most important volu ntary,
representative body that has ever as.
,embled in this counrf. This being
rue. every town and community should
)e present with large and enthusiasts
ic delegation of its representative
citizens.
\ special train will be run from
Worth Yakima. As usual, there will
De reduced rates August Ola is the
tate, which. broadly translated. should
mean no less than 9l4 wideawake. en-
husiastir de- prataS from Yakima Va