Arizona republican., 1909-02-22
WORDS IF PRAISE
 FOR LOCAL PROJECT
What a Foreign Engineer Thinks About the Salt River Valley Reclamation Enterprise

Readers of The Republican vtll re-
 member the visit here recently oi
 L. Baeta- -Neves, NJ. C. E., Brazilian
 delegate to the Sixteenth National
 Irrigation congress. Since the con-
 vention of that body he has devoted
 his time to a study of the irrigation
 and reclamation and conservation
 methods of this government and came
 here for that purpose. Leaving here
 he went to California where, on
 February he addressed a section of
 the Engineers and Architects asso- citation of Southern California, held in Los Angeles. The Republican
 takes pleasure in reproducing his remarks on that occasion, as fol- lows:
 Distinguished members of the En-
 gineers and Architects Association
 of Southern California:
 Tn accepting the courteous invita- tion extended to me to attend this most interesting meeting. l had no idea of speaking before you, be- cause l did not want to deviate your attention from your so profitable a discussion, to hear a foreigner who is scarcely beginning to speak your language. But, you must excuse me, called upon by MT. President, l think that it is my duty to say something in spite of my very poor English.
 Gentleman, l appreciate very much the courteous welcome I have had in the United States, especially from the American Engineers. And now. among you I am having addi- tional proof of your splendid hos pitality.
 T came to this country to repre- sent my government before the 16th National Irrigation congress, and since that time l have been travel ing all over America, stopping here and there, Investigating new engi- neering processes, learning from your experience something new for me and useful for my country. And I take great pleasure in telling you that l have found in this country great deal more than I expected. From what I have learned from my own experience and from your methods l am quite sure that you have the best way of doing work This meeting to discuss so impor- tant a subject proves to me that besides the practical way, your works are conducted in closer touch with the scientific progress. And, no question about 1t, it is only along such a line that we engineers will take the right place before all pro- fessions as sustainers of the natural resources of the world, improving the conditions for life on the surface of this planet, creating for mankind all possible comforts.
 Be proud, you are right in this way And to illustrate again what l an saying, I do not need more than to remember the wonderful irriga- tion works of the Salt River valley, that undoubtedly, constitute the most comprehensive work in the United States, if not in the whole world. But I must tell you that what attracted me when I looked at such works, were not the majestic and tremendous proportions of it's dams, the colossal amount of water to be stored in the great Salt River reservoir, where is the Roosevelt dam. Nothing at all of that kind. What I appreciated most was the intelligent combination of so differ ent things, working together for one result This combination observed from any view point is perfectly sat isfactory Notwithstanding being a very comprehensive work, its com plexity does not affect its simplicity. And each part of the whole work is entirely simple. If you look care fully at it, you will be surprised in finding the most simple thing where at the first glance you thought to find the most complicated one.
 You American engineers got, and are getting, in Salt River valley what you want-the most advan tageous profit by the water. that in its way to the land to be rendered productive by irrigation, will give to man all possible power that can be developed in it's course along 1he valley. This beautiful project c5n- ducted in a very economical way contemplates all possible profit by the water in future time. And its success shall give to the world the most brilliant example of the eff ciency of a work scientifically done. It shall be an additional victory of the American engineers.
 'I am entirely satisfied among you and I regret very much that there is not in my place someone more gifted to profit by this visit, ex- changing some ideas with you prov