The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-11-28
NOT IN FAVOR
|. OF AMALCAMAT|0N
(Speciei to the Silver State.)

PHOENIX. Arizona. Nov. 2S-Ben-
jamin A. Fowler of Phoenix, president
of the 10Th National Irrigation con-
gress, is unalterably opposed to merg-
ing that organization with the swamp
land reclamation movement, supported
by railroads and other powerful inter
ests in the south, and is lining up the
forces in the western country to pre-
sent a strong front at the annual meet
ing in Chicago, December 5 to 8. Mr..
Fowler says in an authorized state
ment:
"The National Irrigation congress
is a western institution, peculiarly and
particularly interested in the Pacific
slope and intermountain states, yet
broad enough in it's scope and purpose
to cover the continent in the policy of
bringing the landless man in touch
with the manless land. To devote it.
self entirely to the reclamation of
swamp lands, as has been suggested,
would be suicidal, and to make that its
chief work would not be in keeping
with its name.
"Far better would it be, if the
south is in earnest about making its
swamp lands habitable, to organize a
separate association for the reclama-
tion of lands by drainage. The west
ern states would welcome such a move
ment and would gladly join hands with
the south and give financial assistance
as well as moral support and co-opera-
tion.
ct do not hold brief for the
west, so / do not speak officially for
the numerous interests; but from what
know of the people and from con-
versations I have had with leaders in
irrigation and actual irrigation farm
ers, | should say that the merger
movemen will arouse strong opposition
at the Chicago meeting.
"Irrigation has been, now is and al
ways will be the greatest factor in the
upbuilding of the western country; in
fact, / may say without fear of sue
cessful contradiction that there is nu
other agency associated with the de-
velopment of agriculture in the west
using the geographical term in its
broad sense, which compares or ever
will compare with the practice of in
telligent irrigation.
"The chief function of the National
Irrigation congress is the reclamation
of waste lands by irrigation. 1t cannot
be converted into a drainage associa
tion by mere sweep of the pen or a
rising vote. Moreover, the two move
ments can never be satisfactorily
merged.
"Nature fixed the boundaries ages
before man dreamed of working out
the problems of relieving the land OF
its surplus water or delivering water
by artificial means to the thirsty soils
and, the difficulties presented in at
tempting to amalgamate geographical,
differences appear to be lnsurmount
able. 1t is wholly impracticable, tt
say nothing of being impolitic and un
wise
"The swamp land drainage crusade
covering S0,000,000 acres of wet land,
IN 80 states, is proposition so big ano
involves so many millions of dollars
and such vast interests, individual
state and national, that it must in
spire the biggest Drained men that
could be interested in its development
Again and again the National Irriga
tion congress by resolutions called the
attention of the government to the
need for early action.
Personally, | do not know a west
ern man who is not willing and anx
ious to contribute in every way to
arouse the entire nation, but especial
ly the president and the United States
congress, to a full realization of what
the drainage of those wet lands would
mean to thousands of home makers
the increase of taxable wealth of the
nation by making land now dormant
and of little or no value, worth from
$50 to 800 an acre; the necessity for
removing, from many sections, condi-
tions which serve to spread foci for
disease and radiate a pail of ineffi.
cheney on those who live on nearby
lands, thus annually costing thousands
of valuable lives or making them un-
profitable both to themselves and the
nation.
"This is superb question of nation.
al conservation, and / feel it is one
which will readily appeal to patriotic
and public-spirited citizens north. east