Arizona republican., 1911-12-06
FOWLER MAKES A STRONG
SPEECH ON IRRIGATION


ana degradation to civilization. was
hut a few years ago. considered Wild
fancy. Nevertheless, we ourselves
have seen all of this accomplished by
the pioneer and United States recla-
nation service, and the end is not
yet To quote the late Governor
| Johnson. there are still in the west
homes for the homeless, food for the
hungry. work for the unemployed,
land for the landless, gold for the
penniless. freedom for the enslaved,
adventure for the restless, dangers for
the brave: an unknown world 10
conquer and room Tor all
The early records of the irrigation
congress are today, in the light If the
present, of peculiar interest. The
first congress met at Salt Lake City,
| September l5-l7, 1891, more than
twenty years ago. 1t was a serious
body of men from the Pacific coast
land Rocky Mountain states. inspired
lby a great idea. Among them no
delegate was more active and influen-
tial than Hon. Francis q. Newlands
: of Nevada, who for many years has
fabIv represented his state in congress
and whose name is inseparably and
! Justly linked with the national irri-
CATION act. Governor Thomas Of Utah
delivered an eloquent and prophetic
address Of welcome. Near the close
he said: The question of ceding the
lands 70 the states is not a new one.
In 1887 Il measure was introduced
in congress to cede the publ, lands
10 the new states. In the rich valley
OF the Mississippi. and in other sec
tons Of the country. the question Of
the swamp lands was solved by the
action OF congress in ceding them TO
the states. These lands We're granted
for purposes of reclamation and be-
cause their condition was such that
il would entail an annual expense TO
hiring them under cultivation. This is
the condition OF the arid lands today.
only the problem is 50 much more
difficult and the expense so much
greater. that if = proposition were
made to have il met by the general
government, the great body of con-
grcsS. unfamiliar with irrigation,
would recoil before it," The essence
of the resolutions adopted at this
congress was the granting in trust
to the states and territories needful
of irrigation all lands now part of
the public domain within such states
and territories, excepting mineral
lands. for the purpose Of developing
irrigation" on this question. the SEN
timent of delegates in the years sue
ceeding the first congress was about
evenly divided. For five years the
battle waged until the sixth congress
at Phoenix. the first that George III.
Maxwell of California attended. and
in which he took strong ground in op-
position to state Cession of public
lands. as above. and in favor OF the
national irrigation policy. From that
day he became the apostle Of irriga-
ton by the federal government. and
for six years carried on the propa-
ganda in every section. from the At
lantic to the Pacific. until the passage
Of the national irrigation act closed
a nationwide campaign. won mag
nificent victory. and buried forever
the state cession policy of the first
irrigation congress.
At this time we may with profit
recall the fact that the ninth annual
meeting of this congress was held at
Central Music Hall in this city. No.
vember 21-2i. 1900, from "Wednesday
evening to saturday 'afternOon-nine
busy sessions. Hon. ElwOOd Mead.
then OF Wyoming, now of Australia.
where he is filling a large place in
the irrigation development of new
world. was president and George ii.
Maxwell. executive chairman. A letter
from Theodore Roosevelt. then gov
ernor of New York. was received and
read amid great enthusiasm. City
Prosecuting Attorney Taylor of this
city. for Mayor Harrison, delivered
an address of welcome. which was
eloquently responded to by Mr.. Max
well And that we may see the con-
gress from the viewpoint of eleven
years ago, may | quote briefly from
his address, as follows:
You are all more or less familiar
with the early history of this con-
gress. For the first four or five ses-
siOns practically no tangible results
Were accomplished. The reason is not
far to seek II had no purpose. AT
the. 1896 Phoenix. Arizona. session. |
found expression from year to year
in its resolutions. the congress grad |
ually began to evolve distinct and
positive object as reason for its !
existence. and that was To enlist the |
federal government in the solution
of the great problem of the reclama-
ton of arid America. Beginning with
the Phoenix congress, that object be- /
came more and more crystalliZed and |
positively expressed in each succeed |
ing congress until, three years later, 1
at the Missoula, Montana, congress, IL
had become a declaration. For no
other reason on earth is this congress
such a success than that we have
lifted up the standard which draws to |
it's support every strong. right think |
ing man in the United States who |
has taken the problem up and studied
il himself Men will not come from
all over the United States merely 10
gather and talk over something with |
out definite purpose or understands
ing But when you have outlined a |
and a purpose and gotten /
the confidence of the people that you
are loyal to this purpose. you can Sc
cure all the strength and influence
you want. The fact that so many 4
have come from the far west and from /