Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-02-19

loyalty to principle, such oneness oil
aim, such unwavering fidelity and
such unfiinching determination to
accomplish the thing sought for, as
these men have shown during the
months of deliberatlon just past.
They have given You their best
thought and reported to you their
unanimous conclusion. Today you
see what 1t is.
We did not 90 into this question
with any idea of confscating the
property OF any man, neither did we
think for one moment of permitting
the interests of the people who
trusted us, to be sacrificed. We
have given most careful and
thoughtful consideration to every
project in sight, and as carefully
weighed the advantages and disad-
vantages Of each.
We have given without reserve,
months Of our valuable time, with
out any remuneration, except the
reward which comes to every man
for duty we'll and honestly done.
We all rejoice that the die Is cast
and that the dawn OF new day Is
at hand upon which we are to real
lie the benefits anticipated in our
prophetic dreams
But we are here today with the
goods, gentlemen. We ar here to
rejoice over that which the grace Of
God has made possible. We are
here to proclaim to the world that
the Rogue River Valley is to be an
irrigated valley, the preparations
for which having gone so far that
nothing can stop 1t save the hand Of
him who created the water and the
dry land.
In this beautiful valley we have
had both. The summer last past
gave US a wide experience with the
dry ground, while the winter just
closing has furnished an oIer-
abundance Of water. But our dif-
ficulty has been one of timely and
equable distribution.
Thus has the parched earth looked
In vain to cloudless sky for deliv-
erance to the thirsty vegetation
whose roots rest within its heated
bosom and thus have the torrents
created by winters rains, rolled
away to the sea and been swallowed
up, no longer to do service, except
to him who rides the rolling billows
to conduct the commerce OF the
world.
But what opportunity have We
here7 God who created these tower.
ing mountains with their mineral
wealth also created this mighty
river to roll down the valley, and 7
do not believe that the great archi-
tect of the universe ever placed that
river there for naught. | do not he
lieve that he ever made this beauti-
full spot Just for scenery But 1t
was all placed here right at hani
for the use OF man, though that use
has been utilized only In part until
now.
II Is our purpose to harness this
mighty torrent of unused water and
convert II to our own use. We can
not chain It, for II Is irresistible. II
II be detained 1t will manifest itself
In power. II 1t be stopped It will
rise until It overleaps the obstruc-
tion and again go bounding on it's
way rushing and roaring and dash
ing It's name OF spray as II to laugh
at the feeble hand that sought to
confine II.
The Aments have partly curbed It's
onward march and forced It to dis
mantle the hills, thus causing them
to yield up their mineral wealth to
the use Of man.
We are here today, not to chain
this mighty torrent, but to divert It
into channels OF usefulness. We
have carefully laid a system OF chan
nels through which the water is to
pass constructed as to unite the
quenching water with the thirsty |
earth and thus to do agricultural
and horticultural service all down
the valleys, in the foothills, on the
slopes and In the hills,
Irrigation has come and come to
stay. The rainbow OF promise is
over us and as we look
down the corridors OF time we be.
hold a beautiful picture. Turn
your eyes upon the landscape and
behold the broad and fertile valley. !
iensely populated and furnishing
All the agricultural products indl-
gent TO It's soil and elevation. In the
foothills and tributary valleys and
IN the benches are large and thrifty
orchards OF apple, pear peach, plum
md nrmnn Ahnr. ~. A.