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THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



S. B. ROBBINS. 



Nominated for Montana's Member of the National Committee. 



energetic and brilliant editor of the 'Northwestern 

 Magazine, left St. Paul April 18th with a party of 

 editors who can, if they will, put the irrigation idea 

 several years forward. They will inspect the re- 

 claimed lands of Montana, Washington, Oregon and 

 Idaho. The party included the following: David 

 Woodward, of Chicago, editor of the Farmer s Voice ; 

 James Strong Judd, of the same city, editor of the 

 Orange Judd Farmer ; C. H. Coleman, of St. Louis, 

 editor of the Rural World ; Mr. Connor, of Indian- 

 apolis, editor of the Indiana Farmer ; Mr. Lawrence, 

 of Cleveland, editor of the Ohio Farmer ; Charles H. 

 Nixon will represent the Chicago Inter Ocean. 



The Carey It is persistently reported from Wash- 

 Sill ington that Senator Carey of Wyoming 



Obnoxious. wiu succe ed in passing his Limited Land 

 Cession bill during the present Congress. Neverthe- 

 less, THE IRRIGATION AGE does not hesitate to pre- 

 dict that he will not do so. The men who are direct- 

 ing the irrigation movement, and the masses who 

 stand behind them, do not want that bill passed at 

 present. It is an imperfect and abortive measure 

 and represents neither one side nor the other of the 

 old controversy between those who favored and those 



who opposed the absolute control of the public lands 

 by the several states. The introduction of the bill at 

 this time and the attempt to crowd it through Con- 

 gress in the manner that is being done is little less 

 than an insult to the organized irrigation movement 

 of the West. The measure has not been publicly 

 attacked by those who are officially responsible for 

 the acts of the national organization, but it must not 

 be thought for that reason that they have neglected 

 it. They have taken the precaution to study the situ- 

 ation and to put up the bars so far as it seems neces- 

 sary at this time. They are advised from the best 

 sources that the measure has no real chance of pass- 

 ing at this session. If it becomes seriously prominent 

 active and effective measures will be taken to inter- 

 pose the influence of the official organization. In 

 seventeen States and Territories commissioners are 

 now at work preparing a thorough and exhaustive 

 statement of the demands of the people of their 

 respective localities in the matter of national and 

 State irrigation policies. These reports will be pre- 

 sented to the next Irrigation Congress, to be held in 

 September. They will be carefully considered and 

 from the facts and conditions they present it is prob- 

 able that there will be formulated a national irriga- 

 tion policy on which the people of the West will 



HERBERT P. ROLFE, 



A Prominent Irrigation Leader of Montana. 



