Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1920-01-06
EXCLAMATION F|)R
IDAHO DISCUSSED
1t CONVENTION
ISOLATION Opens Session With
More Than 400 Present
Aims Of the Organization Are
Explained.
GOVERNOR DAVIS SPEAKS
Says Administration for Rec1a-
nation Of Idaho % q Whole
Not Any One Section Rock.
well Sounds Warning.
GOVERNOR DAVIS SPEAKS

THE officials Of the state Of Idaho
are supporting reclamation. not for
any one section, but for all Idaho. My
whole heart Is in this movement and
think that IL this administration
should spend q whole year and accom-
plish but one thing, the reclamation of
the arid lands of this state, its time
would have been well spent and II
would do more for Idaho than any
other one administration"
The above Is an excerpt from the
address of Governor d. w. Davis deliv-
cred this morning at the opening SEES
sion of the reclamation convention of
the IL southwestern counties, which
opened in the Shriner's Mosque. More
than 200 delegates are in attendance,
Canyon county probably having the
largest representation.
HAGA OPENS CONVENTION.
o. o. Haga, first vice president of
the association, called the meeting to
order. The invocation was delivered
by Rev. d. H. Jones following which
Governor d. w. Davis was introduced
and was given an ovation.
He opened his address by stating:
I'VE are here this morning In the in
terests OF the biggest work we have
ever undertaken for the great state OF
Idaho" He then told how the or
ganization of the Idaho Reclamation
association had spread until it en-
braced 10 western states all interested
in seeing an appropriation bill passed
providing for the reclaiming arid
DUPLICATE OF NILE.
N ut loo
States Reclamation association, he
stated, had made 1t plain that It ia
vored the supplying of water to pro-
jects which need 1t before new pro-
jects were undertaken. Speaking of the
Snake river valley, Governor Davis
said it would take care Of 100000
people alone and give them q home
He declared 1t was a valley which was
a duplicate OF the Nile, but better for
agricultural purposes. He emphatical-
ly urged every citizen of the state to
get behind the movement, having in
mind Idaho as whole and by pre-
senting a united front the sttae could
succeed in getting good appropria-
ton.
Governor Davis pointed out that II
was figured that 112,000000 would be
required to complete the projects al
ready under construction and that an
appropriation of $250, 100000 for rec
lamation was to be asked. He pre-
dicted that the government would build
system Of reservoirs capable OF
storing sufficient waters for irrigatine
arid lands, where the water supply was
available and declared that In future
years water would be measured by
dollars and not by acre feet.
JUDGE RICHARDS PRESlDEs.
Judge j. H. Richards. who has taken
a leading part in irrigation develop
ment of Idaho. was introduced by Mr..
Haga as chairman and the meeting
placed In his hands. In q brief ad-
dress, he stated that for 20 years he
had been identified with reclamation
in Idaho. but that it was not until the
past year that 1T was recognized that
too much was going to waste in land
and water. Because of this recogni-
ton, he stated, and the wisdom of Ma
jor Fred r. Reed, the Idaho associa-
ton was born, the result of which, he
stated would be, that water would be
furnished to the withered breasts of
the deserts. He explained the idea OF
the association was to get the most
available land reclaimed with the wa
ter now running to waste. not In any
one section, but Idaho considered as
u
reclamation had done, the large forces
ready to cooperate In the plan for ir-
rigation. the promise of the Oregon
Short Line officials to build q branch
down the center Of the Bruneau valley
as soon as reclamation work was COM
menced there and In closing he stated,
I'VE have the people. We have the
opportunity and we must work to-
gether."
c. X. Macy. secretary of the ASSOC
citation, was introduced. He read an
inspiring letter from May. Ida. send
ing greetings to the reclamation con-
that section stood behind the move
ment for Idaho as one unit.
SENATOR ROCKWELL SPOKE
Senator !. IL. Rockwell OF Blaine
county. stirred his audience to en-
thusiasm in an address dealing with
Organization" He paid q high trib-
ute to the ability Of Major Fred Reed
in organizing the association which
had brought Idaho in the front ranks
in irrigation development Of the west.
He spoke Of the Western States Rec
lamation association. headed by Gov
ernor ID. w. Davis, as an organization
which stood higher in washington to-
day than any OF the national bodies.
He declared the character OF the or
ganizatton could not be improved but
its strength could.
He emphasized the need Of the pas
sage Of the bill providing $3.50 ,000. 900
for reclamation work in the west. He
pointed out that II the big organise.
ton sent representation down to
Washington with q united front, the
program would succeed. but empha-
tically declared that just a. sure a
any community interests were in
jected into the plan or there was any
show Of diecord. they were sure to faii.
Senator Rockwell declared that
Blaine county was heart and soul n
the reclamation movement, but as-
sured the delegation that It would not
present any claim on reclamation un-
inglv. h Declared Il was imnoasihia