The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1919-08-01

Why, it was only the grOssest ignO-
rance that gave to the desert the label
Of bad lands The desert is con-
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 pain
full breath. and went on.
"Of course you are, IL you are a
western man. You are, I 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 flourished
in spite of the desert which surround
ed them. That was only half a truth.
They were great because of it! Why
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"
"For 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
tons grew to their strength and
power in the desert by virtue Of its
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.
cient tribes who settled in northern
India. They recognized the value Of
aridity. They knew its threefold
WORTH"
IAN inherent value?" demanded the
college-bred man, turning from the
window.
IAN 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 I 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; l had
not yet lived in Utah."
The train was slowing up by a brand
new yellow-pain,ed station. There
were several dusty automobiles wait.
ing by the track, u few faded Surveys
aud 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 If he observed the gen.
eral average OF intelligence in the
faces of the crowd below. Richard ac.
knowlcdgcd that he had been struck
by that, not only her" but at Imperial
junction, where he had waited for the
train.
"Ihere is a club in the valley, lately
started. a university club which admits
as members those who have had II,
least two years OF college training
The list numbers three hundred al
| tty>rv bnl Il l,,S,
week in an empty new store in Impe
rial. II it had not been for the set
tin. We might have been at Ann Arbol
or Palo Alto. The costumes We're I;
little motley, but the talk sounded lik.
home.
The dust blowing in through the cal
doors brought on another tit Of strali
Cling. Richard turned again to ths
window, to the active scene which de
MED the presence of desert beyond.
THE doctors say it will have to bt
the desert always for me-" The stran
sc: tapped his chest significantly
but it is exile no longer-not in M
irrigated country. For the reason o.
irrigation. 1t is the progressive man
the man with ideas. or the man who J.
willing to take them, who comes int,
this desert country. If he has not Ia,
education it is forced upon him. saw
IT worked out in Utah. l was Their,
. several years. Irrigation means co
operation. That is, to me, the chic
value OF aridity."
! The wind. though still blowing
through the car and ruffiing the trail
dust, was carrying less Of grit an,
sand. To the nOStrils of Richard an,
, his new acquaintance it brought tn
, pleasing suggestion Of grassy mead
! ows. OF willow-lined streams and fra
grant fields.
1T Is the accepted idea that thi
: valley Is attracting superior elias
, OF men because nf its temperate
e stand. It is the other way round. Tn
valley stood for temperance becaus
r of the sort Of men who had settle