The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-02-25
RECLAMATION CONGRESS AT P0CATEILO
FRIDAY WAS HUGE UCcEsS IN EVERY WAY
Two Hundred Delegates Assembled in Interest of
the Projects and alI Work Un.elfi.hly for
Idaho and not for Their Own City,
PROJECTS WILL INCREASE POPULATION

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Two hundred delegates from IL
calities scattered from the head O
the Snake river valley to Boise gath
cred at Pocatello Friday for the re
clamation congress. It was made u
of men interested in the dffferen
irrigation projects of the state VIII
wished to combine the working force
into one body to work for all pro
jects in matters of legislation seek
ing government loans and appropria
tlons. The little town of Dubois wa
represented by thirty delegates
1. Boise and surrounding towns hat
thirty. Blackfoot had twenty-four
Shelley about dozen, Idaho Falls
R1gby, Rexburg and other town,
two or three each.
A short . time was devoted tt
speechmaking and it was soon founG
that all were for Idaho, not for theil
home projects alone. They were In
favor Of united action in everything
pertaining to the harnessing and use
of the waters of Snake river and all
work looking to such control. The
ftime has passed when Individual
projects will send their separate
delegations to Washington to work
for their own little empire and
against the others. Idaho will work
thru one organization, presenting a
solid front, with no opposition from
the home state and no opposition
from sister states in the west If the
spirit of fellowship and fair play can
be invoked to promote cooperation.
One speaker, Ernest Eagleson, stated
that there ism the Snake river val
ley now as much land to be re-
claimed as there is agricultural land
In nine of'the smallest states in the
union, and that these new lands will
support population of eleven mil
lion people-twenty-seven times the
present population Of Idaho.
Idaho's Great Trio
B. s. Peat, the agricultural agent,
for the Union Pacific system, of
Omaha was present, and stated that
Idaho's natural wealth is not ap-
preciated by its own people. He
said that our trio Of sun, soil and
water furnish a combination that
will enable any Industrious people
to create new wealth alta rate that
is not generally found in agricultural
countries. He said that any man
with hand and brain. and heart could
manipulate our sun and soil and
water and fill the cornicopia fuller
and With more ceertainly from year
to year than in the other agricul-
tural states.
Farmers Great Opportunity
Mr.. Peat said that while the pop
ulation of the United States had in
creased twenty-nine million, the
number Of cattle had decreased
twenty-eight million, and other live
stock nearly in the same proportion
now with the hungry world looking |
to America for food, and with the
devastated countries of Europe look |
Ing to us for q new start in stock,
and the counties that have thinned |
out their stock to the breaking point
during, the wal. looking to us for
breeding animals to rebuild their
herds, livestock in the United States
8 bound to be high for generation
o come, and agricultural products
commanding good prices for years.
Che man who hesitated about putting
money and labor into agricultural
Is missing the great op-
,ortunity of his life; the common.
wealth that hesitates about making
Internal improvements and getting
ts roads and bridges and its trans
'ortation lines into condition for the
reatest possible efficiency regardless
4 costs, is placing an embargo on
Is own development and the we'll
eing of its citizens. |.
Idaho's Reputation Ascending
In speaking of Idaho's reputation
mong the western states as seen {
y men in. the, nations capital, he Ii
aid Idaho Is making good on her
lodges that her irrigation projects I
re coming to the fore with gold to
epay their loans; that while she
ad gone thru the ordeals of settle-
lent and construction and reclama- ;
on with all the attending battles
,r supremacy with the elements, .
Or cornicopia is pouring out its :
olden treasure to redeem its bonds q
nd loans as few other states are :
Ding, and when we ask the federal y
,yernment for further loans to re- q
aim other tracts, they want to !,
now whether we can get settlers to r
on the land and conquer them and y
pay the loans and when that is as :
red, the purse-strings Of the ma y
onal treasury will loosen for our 4
lterprises. a
Minidoka to the Front =
Much had been said about the D
eat Minidoka project, made pos 9
BILE by government loans in years d
me by, and predictions had been O
ade that the five million Of dollars F
'ured into the construction Of its O
rigation works and pumping plants n
ould never be repaid, but now the s,
atistics Of the crop of 1918 show c,
e-million dollars worth of pro- a,
cts and the loans taken care Of in a
ch satisfactory manner that 1t Is =
source Of pride.