The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-08-09

~ v.
worth"
AN inherent valuef" demanded the
college bred man. turning from the
window.
IAN inherent value" declared the
exponent Of nridity.
'Wil' you tell me just whnt you
mcani''
mot in one session! Look youder.
That's BrawIcy When | came through
here ten years ago | could have had
my pick of this land Mt - cents IN
acre. They were working nj This
scheme thcn-on paper. was not
alive to the possibilities then; had
not yet lived in Utah."
The train was slowing mp by brand
new yelowpanted 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
era average of intelligence in the
| faces Of the crowd below. Richard nc
| knowledged that he had been struck
| by that, not only here but ut Imperial
Junction, where he had waited for the
| train.
There is n club in the valley. lately
started. university club which admits
as members those who have had at
least two years of college trimming.
| The list numbers three hundred al
ready. The first meeting was held Inst
week in IN empty new store In Impe-
rial. If it had not been for the set
ting we might have been at Ann Arbor
or PaIo Alto. The costumes were
little motley. but the talk sounded like
home.
The dust blowing in through the car
doors brought on another 1T of stran-
Cling. Richard turned again to the
window, to the active scene which de-
MED the presence of desert beyond.
1.-The doctors say it will have to be
the desert always for me-" The stran-
ger tapped his chest significantly.
But IL is exile no longer-not in an
irrigated country. For the reason OF
irrigation! II 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 II Is forced upon him. | saw
Int worked out in Utah. ! 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 rufIling the train
dust. was carrying less of grit and
sand. To the nostrils Of Richard and
his new acquaintance 1t 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 superior class
Of men because of It's 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-
ton type" He began to suspect that
he had picked up crank.
"trhe desert offers man special adj
vantages, social industrial and agricul.
tural. 1t is no accident that you find
n certain sort of man here"
Il suppose you mean that the
struggle necessary to develop such
country, under such stern conditions
develops Of necessity strong menY
evolved Richard "Oh. yes. | believe
|. that, too
"Ob. more than that. It is not sc
much the struggle MS the necessity fol
cooperation. The mutual dependence
Is one Of the blessings Of aridity."
zone of the blessings of aridity !
echoed his listener. you are philos
, ophcr." He had not yet touched The
others thought at the spring.
You might as well call me a social
i. list because I praise irrigation in tha
, It stands for the small farm unit,
retorted the valley man. "Thnt Is on'
: of its fats; the smnll unit. II is th'
small farm that pays That fact brings
many advantages. What Is the charm
, of Riverside? 1t comes to me Away!
: like the unreal dream of the sociaIis
, come true. II Is city of farms, o
small farms, where man may MAKE
, his living of his ten acres of oranges
, or lemons: and with all the comforts
and conveniences Of II city within
reach, his neighbors not ten miles of
farmer In Riverside or in any irri
gated community does not have t.
postpone living for himself or his fam
ilv until he can sell the farm II
can 90 10 church. can walk there; tn
, trolley car which passes his doc
, tnkes him TO public library or tn
onern house. Ills children ride t.
school. His wife does not need 10 II
4, q drudge. The bread wagon and til
steam laundry wagon stop AT he
4 door
I,ckard observed that perhaps h
dia not know anything about irrigation
:. after all He had not thought of
!. before in its sociological relation bu
: merely as 1t touched his profession.
). Not going into soil values. for tina
!, Is - long story" began the Older maj
). "irrigation is the answer which sc
). p,,cp gives to the agriculturist who
! impatient of haphazafd methods. lrr
:. CATION is not compromise as so man