Arizona republican., 1922-02-08
open THE GATEWAY
OF OPPORTUNITY IS
THEME To STUDENTS

"Open the gateway OF opportunity
to all the students in all the schools
Of Arizona" was the theme of the
half hour talk Of George H. Maxwell
to the students of the high school
yesterday morning.
He sketched to the minds Of his au-
dience a picture of Arizona as he
first saw it as he went to Tombstone
just 40 years ago last month; then of
the Arizona of 20 years ago, when the
United States reclamation act was
passed In 1902. He contrasted these
pictures with the Arizona of today.
He pleaded earnestly for a recogni-
ton of our obligations to those who
have gone before in the great work
OF conquesting the deserts, the fruits
Of whose labors we have inherited
He urged that those enjoying the
present and looking forward into the
future should discharge their obliga-
tion to the past by laboring to COM
plete the work begun by the pioneers.
Sweeping the camera of the mind
from its pictures of the past, to
vision of the future, he portrayed
vividiy the stupendous possibilities
of creating opportunities for the
coming generations in the great work
of building ten such units of develop
ment as the Roosevelt reservoir dis
trict in the Colorado river country
of Arizona.
Every boy and girl in this school,"
urged the speaker, "is nearing the
time when they must face the battle
of life. What they want is oppor-
tunity. The building of the great en-
gineering works to utilize five million
horsepower, that will be built in Ari-
zona, will furnish such opportunity.
Not only must all the original work
be done, but the great power plants
must be operated, and the vast in
dustrial enterprises that will be
gradually developed to utilize the
power will provide employment for
tens OF thousands in a country where
today there is nothing. The build
ing OF the great Boulder Canyon dam,
the FL Dorado power plant, the Ari-
zona cut off, the Arizona high line
canal, the Yuma short line canal and
the Sentinel short line canals. will all
require the services of a multitude
of engineers and workers. Then will
come the great mining development
digging from the earth and working
in the mills millions OF tons of low
grade ore. And finally the reclama-
ton of 2,500,000 acres of land that
win eventually be subdivided into
five and ten acre winter homes, date
orchards, fig orchards and vineyards.
Whole new communities will be built,
ten such communities as that under
the Roosevelt dam, and the oppor-
tunity that will be created viii not
only be that of employment in this
stupendous work for human advance
ment, but also the opprtunity it viii
open to a multitude of our own Ari-
zona youth to secure a home Tor
themselves and build a family altar
in the desert, which will be trans
formed into garden.
Looking backwards into the past,
seeing what the pioneers have done
for us, and discharging our obllgation
to them by looking forward into the
future and working for the welfare
OF this and coming generations, 10
complete the work of the pioneers Dy
building a mighty empire In Arizona
is a great creative work, the speaker
said. which will strengthen and de-
yeIop the character Of every man and
woman who grips the great truth
that we uplift ourselves by being
guided by the inspiration of great
ideal. That, said Maxwell, is the
third idea he desired to present to
those who would have the oppor-
tunity to be uplifted by IT, Referring
10 the statues of Washington ana
Lincoln on either side OF the stage,
he said the great idea that inspired
washington was the establishment OF
a new Independent nation, and thas
Of Lincoln to preserve the union anu
1,ernet,iate the nation. The great
idea that should today inspire every
Arizonian, young and DID,, is the OPP
nortunity now before them to con-
1uest the desert and build a great
Community where nature left her
task unfinished.