The Delta independent., 1911-03-24
aftermath OF THE BIG
development CONGRESS
Big Meeting i'm Spite of Many Alter
asiCnS in PrOgram.-Senator
belongs Address.


afternoon at 9 O'Clock pursuant to
call. President Horace T. DeLong
presiding.
Invocation by DR.. Geo. NJ. barley.
DR.. A. H. Stockham delivered the
address of welcome in the absence
of Mayor B. P. Smith. DR.. Stock
ham address was in his usual
style of well chosen language.
DR.. Charles A. Lory, president
of the State Agricultural College,
was given the next number, as II
was necessary for him to take the
evening train to Denver. DR.. Lory
had for his theme The College and
its work as factor in the develop
ment of the Western Slope as well
as the whole state.
In his response to the address
of welcome President DeLong said:
Mr.. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen;
Its a pleasure on behalf of the
delegates here assembled to re-
spond to your most cordial address
of welcome TO the members of the
Western slope Development Con
gress
We accept the freedom OF your
city and assure you that we have
come TO soiourn. even though II be
only for a day or two, for the pur-
pose Of doing you good as well as
for the purpose OF accepting your
hospitality.
The Western Slope Development
Congress was organized and estab-
lished for the purpose OF fostering
and developing the interests of all
western Colorado and contiguous
territory. AS loyal citizens of the
stata we are interested in any
thing that affects any part of the
state We as citizens of the west
ern section are intensely interested
in everything that affects that por-
ton of Colorado which lies west of
the Continental Divide.
There is a great empire in the
northwestern portion of our state
that is just being opened up by the
Moffat Road. We are. therefore,
especially affected by the recent
death of that great empire build
er. David II. Mofiat. and 1t is meet
and proper that this Congress
should pass proper resolutions ex-
pressing the loss which we of west
orn Colorado feel in the death of
that great fnancier and promoter.
We are deeply interested in the
proposed Moffat Tunnel. whether IL
be constructed by private capital or
under the authority of the state.
There is another great empire
in the southwestern portion OF the
state and we are equally interested
in its development. We trust that
the day is not far distant when
there will be line constructed from
Durango TO Santa Fe and Albuquer-
que and on to the Gulf and also
line from Durango north. passing
through the important cities of the
western part of the state and con-
Meeting with the Union Pacific
Short Line on to the northwest and
Seattle.
One of the most interesting sub
jects before us is Western Slope
legislation under which will be con-
sidered all bills especially affecting
western Colorado. one of which is
a bill for the construction of the
Moffat Tunnel by the state Doubt
less It will precipitate an unusual
ly interesting debate. In the opinion
of your President the construction
of the tunnel should be encourag-
ed-no minor matter should cause
us to take any action hostile to
80 important proposition.
The diversion of water from the
Western Slope to the eastern side
is another subject that will receive
the most careful attention of the
delegates here assembled. Our fight
will be to save for the people who
live in this section of the state
the great natural resources given
to us by the Almighty. The eastern
portion of the state already draws
heavily on the Western Slope
through toll of freight rates
through an unjust division OF the
Internal Improvement Fund and
the Internal Income Fund; through
the appropriation for the mainten-
ance of all the State Institutions.
excepting only the new normal re-
Gently established at Gunnison-
the only institution on the western
side of the Continental Divide fos-
tered by the State of Colorado. The
recent appropriations for the insti-
tutions, formerly belonging to the
government. at Durango and Grand
Junction are so meagre that they
are scarcely worth mentioning.
The conservation of our natural
resources; the administration of
forest reserves and public ranges;
the rights of the stock grower the
regulation of the cutting of timber
from the public domain; the con-
struction of State Highways: the
use of convict labor; the policy of
the Reclamation Service; the rela-
ton of the Water Users Association
to the government and especially