The Elbert County tribune., 1909-08-12
.IRRICATIONISTS
IN SHARP DEBATE
NATIONAL IRRIGATION CONGRESS
AT SPOKANE BEGINS
ITS WORK.
LANDLAWS DENOUNCED
CHIEF FORESTER PINcHoT AND
SECRETARY BALLINGER MAY
CONTEST POLICIES.

Spokane, Wash.-"The government
Of the United States is sitting idly
whilq millions of dollars worth of
natural resources are going to waste"
American lands are going to waste
while last year sixty-five thousand
Americans sought homes in Canada"
"The Appalachian forestry bill
which passed the House and Senate
twice. was killed by Uncle Joe.
Notwithstanding the dispensary
system in South Carolina there is too
much water there"
E. ]. Watson, commissioner of the
South Carolina department OF agricul-
ture, commerce and industry, SHE'D
few castors into the ring before the
National Irrigation Congress Monday
afternoon when, he uttered the forego-
ing with such telling effect that the
convention was kept in an uproar.
Watson was not of the opinion that
the government should give. way to pri-
vavte interests. He thought, on the
contrary, that the government should
spend few millions in Irrigation and
drainage projects.
The South Carolina speaker became
so enthusiastic over his subject that
he urged as final measure that the
government take control of such rivers
least and west) as might be navigable
for the purpose of making them water
ways for smaller warships. This sug-
gestion brought out a. chorus of lauda-
tory yells.
The speaker closed with the sugges-
ton that the German system of con-
Aervation should be employed in the
United States.
The impending clash between the
natural resorce preservation policies of
the Roosevelt administration and So
called private interest got it's first
impetus when Mayor N. S. Pratt of
Spokane, charged in his address that
private capital is being used to impede
the work of the government in its
preservation and reclamation work.
1t was not expected that the situa.
ford Pinchot could be heard from, it
being freely predicted that Mr.. Pinch
OF would take occasion to defend the
Roosevelt policies and attack the op-
position policy of demanding that all
possible lands be thrown open for en-,
try. But when Mayor Pratt began his
address of welcome he swung direct
ly into an attack on "the interests
which seek to overthrow the policy OF
preservation"
Thus the long-expected fight OF
capital against the government"
so-called, has obtained the floor ano
now bids fair to become predominant
now bids fair to become the predomi-
nant factor in the present Congress.
Interest is now centered in the utter
ances expected from Clifford Pinchot
and Secretary Ballinger, who will
speak later in the week.
One OF the principal speakers was
+. H. Newell, director of the United
States reclamation service. His sub.
ject was 1.-THE National Irrigation Sit
uation.''
Newell said that while the govern.
work, private capital has also made
great advances, and possibly at pres
ent five or ten times as large an in.
vestment in the aggregate is being
made by corporations in building irri-
cation works as is being invested by
the government.
Much of this investment, however,
has been made possible, or at least has
been stimulated, by the government
work." said he. THE fact that the
national government has deemed it
wise to take up the matter has been
one of the strongest arguments ap-
pealing to capitalists to do likewise.
There is no competition as between
national and private funds, but rather
an attempt at all times on the part of
the government to stimulate legiti-
mate enterprise through obtaining
facts upon which investments might
be safely made, and to avoid taking
up such work as could be handled sue
cessfully by Others"
The following telegram was received
from President Talft:
'T regret greatly that am not able
to be present and get the benefit OF
your deliberations. have deep sym
pathy with the general object Of the
National Irrigation Congress-, and you
can count on my earnest endeavor to
further the cause of reclamation by
irrigation in every part of the country.
(Signed) "WIIALIAM H. TAFT"