Imperial Valley press., 1915-03-29

the necessity for cooperation on the
part OF the people working under ir-
rlgatlon. lie said that in going about
the country with Secretary Lane, he
had come to look on Mr.. Lane as Il
trouble man. as everywhere it was
his duty to adjust differences be-
tween contending interests. He paid
high tribute to the secretary, which
sentiment was roundly applauded
Secretary Lane Speaks.
Secretary Lane was introduced by
the toastmaster as the one man whom
the people Of the valley had been most
anrious to welcome here Mr.. Lane
said:
81 have just had two and q half
days of the most interesting period OF
my life. We visited San Diego and
the eXquisitely beautiful exposition,
then came through the rain and the
mist over the mountains to the des-
ert.
Sometimes people talk to me as
though irrigation was something new
to me. But when | was boy here in
California, trying to find way to
get an education, | began the study
of irrigation and irrigation law. That
was before many of you who are here
were born. Then | was engaged
as specialist to prepare history
of irrigation law, and followed its de-
velopment from ancient Rome through
Spain and Mexico to California.
"The position which | hold is one
of especial JOY to me, because the work
is along the lines of my interest and
deep concern, and | would not eX
change it for any other department
of government.
81 have enjoyed this trip because in
this part of the country the people
still have imagination and bravery,
while the older parts of the country
have shot their bolt. Out here you
! have caring, and it is only through
daring that man grows. Lyman Alb
bott once said:
"Iife is but an experiment, and
only the adventurous succeed
eve who have come to the West
and have gone into the mines or the
irrigation enterprises by our expert
ences are making ourselves.
! 81 have come here because the gov
ernment laid its hand on me and said
/ that in the control of the Colorado
there is a great work to be done. l
cannot 20 back to Washington with
greater interest in the welfare of this
valley than | ALWAYS have had. have
tried, so far as laid in my power, to
help this valley work out its prob
lens.
81 have a burden to bear in our
own reclamation projects, where the
land is not so rich as here and where
the sun is not so kindly.
at must be fine, Mr.. lockwood, for
YOU and for the others who glimpsed
the future, to see your dreams come
true.
81 know the Joy that comes to man
in boosting and to feel that you are
not simply working for your own fam
ilv's comforts, but to feel that you are
identified with something that is not
selfish but is helpful to all your
neighbors. 81,
"AlI irrigation projects begin with
differences and progress with dltfer-
ences. There are differences in fl
nancial matters, in agricultural meth
ods and between the managers and the
public generally. ,,.
"Some time ago | sent Sir William
Willcocks, probably the greatest irrl-
cation engineer in the world, to look
over this and other irrigation enter
prises. He told me he was greatly
disappointed with the Amerisan irrl-
cation works because of the waste1ul-
ness of water and the disregard by If
rigators of the rights of others, and
he said if he had the power he could
cut the water off from half the users
because of this.
"This valley is destined to uphold
civilization as great as any. WhaS
YOU are to do to protect yourselves l
cannot authoritatively state.
General Marshall is here to work
with YOU on the levees, but what he
is doing is but bite in the apple. |
trust the way will be found for you
to be able to realize fully all your
desires, and achieve ends worthy OF
California, my state as well as yours.
Judge BledsOe Speaks.
Judge Bledsoe was introduced by the
/ toastmaster "to pass legal decision.
/ He said he had never heard but one
side of the case, all in the interest OF
Imperial Valley, and he could not pass
Judgment unless it was to be taken
| for granted that there was but one
side of the question.
He said in his home, San Bernar-
dino, they refer to the land as God S
country, but this is mans country,
having been made by man. In san
Bernardno water is king, but here it
is czar.
Judge Bledsoe spoke in praise Of
Secretary Lane and congressman II
Kettner, and was roundly annlauded.
A Word for the Valley.
E. F. Howe spoke for this section.
He said:
"Imperial Valley is distinctive in
many respects. First, it is distinc-
tive in the fact that its irrigation
system was not picked from Christ