The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-02-25

did the Incas choose the desert wher
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 Tol-
tees, the Moors. And one never for
gets Egypt|
"For protection" Rickard 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
tions grew to their strength and
power = the desert by virtue of its
isolation"
"Superstitionl" retorted the p,ar
with the tie. 1--WE are babes at the
breast measured by the wisdom Of the
men who settled Damascus, or COM
pared with the Toltecs, or those an
cient tribes who settled in northern
India. They recognized the value Of
aridity. They knew its threefold
worth"
"An inherent value?" demanded the
college-bred man, turning from the
window.
"An inherent value" declared the
exponent Of aridity.
"Will you tell me just what you
mean?"
"Not in. one session! Look yonder.
That's Brawley. When I came through
here ten years ago I could have had
my pick of this land at 25 cents an
acre. They were working at this
scheme then-on paper. I was not
alive to the possibilities then; I had
not yet lived in Utah!"
The train was slowing up by brand
new yelloW-painted station. There
were several dusty automobiles wait
ing by the track, few faded surreys
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 Rickard If he observed the gen.
eral average of intelligence in the
faces Of the crowd below. Rickard 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 a club in the valley, lately
started, university club which admits
as members those who have had at
least two years Of college training.
The list numbers three hundred al
ready. The first meeting was held last
week in an empty new store in Impe-
rial. If it had not been for the set
ting we might have been at Ann Arbor
or Palo Alto. The costumes were a
little motley, but the talk sounded like
home.
The dust blowing in through the car
doors brought on another fit Of stran-
Cling. Rickard turned again to the
window, to the active scene which de.
MED the presence Of desert beyond.
''The doctors say it will have to be
the desert always for me-" The stran.
ger tapped his chest significantly.
"But it Is exile no longer-not In an
irrigated country. For the reason Of
irrigatlonl 1t is the progressive man,
the man with ideas, or the man who is
willing to take them, who comes into
this desert country. II he has not had
education it is forced upon him. I saw
it worked out in Utah. I was there
several years. Irrigation means Co
operation. That is, to me, the chief
value of aridity."
The wind, though still blowing
through the car and ruffling the train
dust, was carrying less Of grit and
sand. To the nostrils Of Rickard and
his new acquaintance it brought the
pleasing suggestion Of grassy mead.
ows, Of willow-lined streams and fra.
grant fields.
ut Is the accepted idea that this
valley is attracting a superior class
Of men because Of its temperance
stand. 1t is the other way round. The
valley stood for temperance because
Of the sort Of men who had settled
here, the men Of the irrigation type"
The engineers ear criticized "irriga.
tion type" He began to suspect that
he had picked up crank.
"The desert offers man special ad
vantages, social, industrial and agricul
tural. 1t is no accident that you fn6
certain sort Of man here"
II suppose you mean that the
struggle necessary to develop such a
country, under such stern conditions,
develops Of necessity strong men?'
evolved Rickard. "Oh, yes, I believe
that, too."
"Oh, more than that. 1t is not SC
much the struggle as the necessity for
cooperation. The mutual dependence
is one of the blessings Of aridity."
"One of the blessings of aridity!" !"
echoed his listener. "You are q philos
opher." He had not yet touched the