The Pulaskian. (Pulaski Heights [Little Rock], Ark.) 1915-1929, 1919-03-14

rance tudC gave TO the desert Tile laDel
of bad lands The desert is con-
dition, not a fact. Here you see the
passing Of the condition, the burial of
the superstition. Are you interested in
irrigation?"
Richard was not given to explain
the degree of interest his profession
| involved, for the stranger drew a pain
full breath, and went on.
"Of course you are, if you are a
western man. You are, l think?'
The engineer said he was, by choice.
Irrigation is the creed of the West.
Gold brought people to this country !;
water, scientifically applied, will keep
them here. Look at Riverside. And
we are at the primer stage only. We
are way behind the ancients in infor-
nation on that subject. | learned at
school, so did you, that some of the
most glorious civilizations f1ourished
in spite of the desert which surround
ed them. That was only half q truth.
They were great because of it Why
did the Incas choose the desert when
their strength gave them the choice of
the continent of South America? Why
did the Aztecs settle in the desert
when they might easily have pre-
empted the watered regions? Then
there are the Carthaginians, the Toll
tees, the Moors. And one never for
gets Egypt /"
1sFor protection" Richard gave the
sighted question an interested recog-
milton. "Was that not what we were
taught at school? The forest held
foes, animal and human. Those ma
lions grew to their strength and
power in the desert by virtue of it's
isolation
Superstition - retorted the man
with the tie. I'VE are babes at the
breast measured by the wisdom of the
men who settled Damascus, or COM
pared with the Toltecs, or those an
Gent tribes who settled in northern
India. They recognized the value of
aridity. They knew its threefold
WORTH"
"An inherent value?' demanded the
coslege-bred man, turning from the
window.
can inherent value" declared the
exponent of aridity.
will you tell me just what you
mean?"
mot in one session. Look yonder
That's Brawley. When / came through
here ten years ago [ could have had
my pick of this land at % cents an
acre. They were working at this
scheme then-on paper. / was not
alive to the possibilities then; / had
not yet lived in Utah %
The train was slowing up by a brand
new yellow-painted station. There
were several dusty automobiles wait
ing by the track, few faded surveys
and the inevitable country hotel bus.
The platform was swarming with
alert, vigorous faces, distinctly of the
American type.
The man in the seat beside him
asked Richard IL he observed the gen.
eral average of intelligence In the
faces of the crowd below. Richard ac-
knowledged that he had been struck
by that, not only here but at Imperial
Junction, where he had waited for the
train.
There is club in the valley, lately
started, a university club which admits
as members those who have had at
leas two years of college training.
The Hist numbers three hundred al
rea cd The first meeting was held last
j we. I yn an empty new store In Impe-
- aon, f it had not been for the set
10 might have been at Ann Arbor
r oNei' b Alto. The costumes were a
n eo hotley, but the talk sounded like
Is rows.
r like dust blowing in through the car
ar of viDrought on another fit of stran-
= tiyatt Richard turned again to the
kill;,y, to the active scene which de-
-, he presence of desert beyond.
doctors say it will have to be
+ 70 Sert always for me-" The stran-
y OF Slapped his chest significantly.
lie or let is exile no longer-not in an
l. FED country. For the reason Of
is ed fion! 1t is the progressive man,
10 ;maan with ideas, or the man who is
i.
ssert country. If he has not had
oay ion it is forced upon him. ] saw
l1o liked out in Utah. / was there
= $50 years. Irrigation means CO.
W kans3ion. That is, to me, the chief
IL ansa of aridity."
20 befo wind, though still blowing
"a had h the car and ruffling the train
S, NJ, was carrying less of grit and
Oh To the nostrils of Richard and
le nun wv acquaintance it brought the
mas hg suggestion of grassy mead
= Chri3f willow-lined streams and fra
the fields.
I, and is the accepted idea that this
- MICS is attracting a superior class
e. Moshn because of its temperance
1t It is the other way round. The
lie stood for temperance because