The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-08-11
BILLIONS ASKED BY
IRRIGATION CONGRESS

Spokane, Aug. 1.-THE delegates tC
the Irrigation Congress set about re-
lieving the arid land situation today
when a resolution was introduced by
Henry Arthur Hooler. of the Board oi
Control, asking for a national three
per cent bond issue of five billions
for drainage. billion for irrigation
billion for deep waterways. a bill
lion for good roads and billion for
forest preservation.
A resolution was introduced provid-
ing that where a settler has been de-
prived of his right to reclaim land by
the cutting of of water rights Jby the
reclamation service, the settler may
gain a right TO the lands reclaimed
by the reclamation service, acre for
acre.
George Otis Smith. director of the
L. s. Geological Survey. spoke on
the classification of public lands.
Irrigation i'm South Dakota was
discussed by 5. II. Lea.
Howard Elliott. president of the
Northern Pacific. spoke on opportun-
tiles in the West.
Following is an abstract of the ad-
dress delivered by Forester Pinchot
late yesterday:
Home Building for the Nation.
The most valuable citizen of this
or any other country is the man who
owns the land from which he makes
his living. No other man has such a
stake in the country. No other man
lends such steadiness and stability
10 our National life. Therefore. no
other question concerns us more in
timately than the question of homes.
Permanent homes for ourselves, our
children and our Nation-this is the
central problem. The policy of Ma
tional irrigation is of value to the I'm
tied States in very many ways, but
the greatest of all is this, that Ma
tional irrigation multiplies the men
who own the land from which they
make their living The old saying,
who ever heard of a man shoulder
ing his gun to fight for his boarding
house." reflects this great truth. that
no man is so ready TO defend his
country, not only with arms, but with
his vote. and his contribution to pub
lie opinion as the man with a perma-
nent stake in il. as the man who owns
the land from which he makes his
living
Our country began as a Nation of
farmers. During the periods that gave
II il scharacter. when our indepen-
dence was won and when our Union
was preserved. we were pre-eminent-
ly a nation of farmers. We can not,
and we ought not, toe ontinue eXclu-
sively. or even chiefly. an agricultur-
al country, because one man can
raise food enough for many. But the
farmer who owns his land is still the
Of nd of
the things we want most is more of
him
The man on the farm is valuable
to the Nation. like any other citizen,
just in proportion to his intelligence,
character. ability, and patriotism, but
unlike the other citizens. also in pro-
portion to his attachment to the soil.
That Is the principal spring of his
steadiaess. his sanity. his simplicity
and directness. and many of his other
desirable qualities. He is the first of
home-makers.
The Nation that will lead the world
will be a Nation of homes. The OBJ
ject of the great Conservation move
nent is just this. to make our coun-
try a permanent and prosperous home
for ourselves and for our children.
and for our children'S children, and
IL is a task that is worth the best
thought and effort of any and all OF
us.
To achieve this or any other great
result. straight thinking and strong
action are necessary, and the straight
thinking comes first. To make this
country what we need to have it. we
must think clearly and directly abou,
our problems. and above all We must
understand what the real problems
are. The great things are few and
simble, but they are too often hidden
by false issues. and conventional. un-
real thinking. The easiest way to
hide a real issue always has been. and
always will be, to replace 1t with
false one.
The first thing we need In this
country, as President Roosevelt so