Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-10
.IRRIGATIONISTS
CONDEMN WASTE
OF RESOURCES
SAY UNITED STATES DOES NOT
CONSERVE ADVANTAGES
NEW CONSTITUTION TO GIVE
OFFICERS POWER TO ACT
Prominent Men Point Out Methods for
mprovement-Pueblo Colo, or
San Francisco viii Get the
Next Convention
tContlnned FROM pnre One,

provision OF the law restricting dCISdBe
has been enforced and there is well
marked beneficial result in the subdi-
vision of large areas of irrigable land
and the placing of this in the hands OF
men competent to successfully cultivate
the soil and make permanent homes
The speculative element has been
largely absent.
1.-The works now in hand will require
all of the reclamation fund for several
years. Each large work is completed
to a point where 1t has made possible
hundreds of homes and where returns
are coming to the fund, but 1t has nu-
merous ramifieations or divisions, each
of which requires considerable more
money for completion. There Is no
lack of work when these are finished
The opportunities for further conserva-
ton of the waste waters are almost un-
limited especially in localities where
attempts have been made on a small
scale and complications of such nature
have arisen, especially those of vested
rights that successful action can be
taken only by following up the matter
with infinite tact and patience, coupled
with the resources of the reclamation
fund
"Of course, there is always another
side to every large problem. 1t is not
conceivable that the reclamation act
ministration could be without flaw. The
very benefits brought about by the act
have been a source of criticism. The
requirement of residence on the land
or in the neighborhood, Is freely criti-
clsed as involving unnecessary hard
ship, and yet this Is one of the require
ments which the majority of congress
considered as being an essential con-
dition for the advancement of federal
funds.
SIowness Criticised
"The slowness of the work is also
criticised, and it has come to be a
matter of general remark that the gov
ernment is always slow. This, like
many truisms, is a statement which
does not stand close analysis. There
are very few corporations which have
accomplished with the funds available
as much as has been carried on by
the reclamation service.
1.-THE successful handling of tho
reclamation fund probably requires as
much, If not more, skill and patience
than in any industrial enterprise. On
the one hand are the settlers clamorine
for immediate results; on the other
hand are engineering problems and
complications of vested rights to water
and difficult rights of way, with de-
fective land titles all of which must
be patiently worked out under very
exacting regulations. The federal en-
ploye is regarded by all as a proper
target, when Joined with this is the
fact that the man in control of the
ditch Is as matter of course regarded
by everyone as responsible for every
evil in the community and you have
a combination which requires almost
unlimited skill, tact and self-control.
THE reclamation act is not a perfect
document, but, like most acts of con-
gress, is the result of compromise OF
many conflicting ideas. Wherever il
may be defective these defects can
only be remedied I'm one way, namely
by congress and not by any official. II
is worse than useless, therefore, to
attempt to remedy these defects, If they
exist, through criticism of the methods
adopted by the officials in direct
charge. Any needed improvement
should be brought to the attention OF
the law making body and particularly
to the committees on irrigation of the
senate and house, each of which is
seeking for suggestions and intelligent
advice from practical men,"
With a message from President Taft
addresses of welcome by Governor M
e. Hay of Washington and Mayor n
S. Pratt of Spokane, and numerous re-
sponses, the national irrigation con-
gress began its sessions in the armory
today. More than 1000 delegates had
arrived this morning and many more
are expected during the day.
Fair President Absent
J. r. Chilberg. president of the
Alaska Yukon-Pacific exposition, who
was to have welcomed the delegates
of Baltimore, was not present but will
be a speaker tomorrow.
George e. Barstow, president of tho
congress, replied to the addresses ot
welcome for the congress.
Joseph M. Carey of Washington pro-
posed a system of state laws for the
various states contemplating the pro.
lection of the individual farmer. He
was opposed in some quarters by dele
gates who believed irrigation laws
might be proper for some of the newer
states, but that the older common
wealths would be able to care for them
selves.
CATION Ode" sung by the Spokane
chorus of $50 voices. The address o.
welcome to the state was delivered by
Governor M. r. Hay of Washington
Governor Hay of Washington, aftel
an allusion to the scope and Importance
of the work of congress since its in
ception in 1892, spoke of the waste o
with which the country is confronted
OF his own state he said:
"Western Washington can boast The
heaviest stand of timber in the world
1t is estimated that at the present tim'
there are 200 900 900 feet of merchant
able timber standing in this portion o
the state. This is a magnificent re
source, and it is little wonder that i
appeared unlimited to the pioneers II
the lumber industry here. But today, j
the methods of the past are to continue
we can approximate with fair accuracy
the time when this great body of tim
ber will be exhausted.
"In the last fifty years fully 100000,
COO feet of timber either has been Gu
or destroyed by forest fires, by far tht
greater portion of which has disap
peared in the last decade. The lumber
man and the logger, however, have
awakened to the gravity of the situa
tion and there is reason to believe tina
from henceforth more scientific anC
economical methods will be adopted il
the harvesting of the timber of thi'
state"
on behalf of the city Mayor N. S
Pratt spoke He caused the suggestion
of a sensation by charging private cap
itaI with interfering with government
reclamation projects. The response OF
behalf of the congress was made o!
George e. Barstow, president of tn
congress. He said:
Opens Review
George r. Barstow, president of th'
-o,,anfaaptb nafiOna1 irrigation con