THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



VOL. XII. 



CHICAGO, AUGUST, 1898. 



NO. 11. 



THE PROGRESS OF WESTERN SMERICS, 



Remember Every one at all interested 



the 



Congress. in irrigation matters should 



make a strenuous effort to attend the Na- 

 tional Irrigation Congress, to be held at 

 Cheyenne, Wyo., beginning Sept. 1st. 

 This is the seventh annual session of the 

 body, and should receive a large attend- 

 ance. Joseph M. Carey, Cheyenne, is the 

 president of the association, and the na- 

 tional executive committee has a repre- 

 sentative from every state and territory 

 in the Union with the exception of the 

 following thirteen states: Alabama, Ar- 

 kansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, New 

 Hampshire, Louisiana, New Jersey, North 

 Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont, Vir- 

 ginia and West Virginia. Thirteen is an 

 unlucky number and it is hoped that 

 some, if not all, of the above states will 

 "come into the fold" before the next con- 

 gress. It seems surprising that Louisiana 

 is not represented, as irrigation is quite 

 extensively practiced there, especially in 

 rice farming. 



The fact that 36 out of the 49 states and 

 territories are represented is an indica- 

 tion of how general the interest in the ir- 

 rigation movement has become. 



The Olive 

 Branch of 



The dove has been sent forth 

 Peace and is probably searching dil- 



igently for the olive branch, but has not as 

 yet returned to the ark with it. Or, in less 

 symbolic language, Spain wants peace but 

 has not fully decided to make all the con- 

 cessions asked. But the war is practically 

 ended. Sylvester Baxter writing in the 

 American Review of Reviews upon Span- 

 ish traits, gives it as his opinion that 



"Probably the greatest blessing that can 

 befall Spain will be the loss of all her col- 

 onies. They have been the source of all 

 her troubles. " If this be true, then her 

 troubles are about ended and the writer 

 may prove a true prophet in saying that 

 "with the passing of Spain's colonial 

 might will dawn the renascence of Spain." 



Like the devastating storm which causes 

 death and havoc but clears the atmosphere 

 and makes the whole world fresh and in- 

 vigorated, this war, while bringing death 

 and suffering for which we mourn, will 

 clear the political atmosphere and the 

 nations will take a fresh start with a much 

 more vivid understanding of what Ameri- 

 can independence means. 



Among many of the good things this war 

 has brought about and why not think of 

 them and ignore ; the bad is, first and 

 greatest, the unity between the north and 

 south; commanders, who in '61 led opposing 

 forces, now stand side by side in the cause . 

 of the same country and under the same 

 old flag. Party lines have been broken 

 down; patriotism, which some thought 

 dead in us, has blazed up and we feel as 

 proud of, and loyal to our country as did 

 the heroes of '76. It has drawn us nearer 

 to England, as evinced by the fact that for 

 the first time England this year celebrated 

 with us the glorious Fourth of July, the 

 memorial of the loss of her American col- 

 ony. Perhaps, when one hundred and 

 twenty-two years have elapsed Spain will 

 join with us in celebrating the indepen- 

 dence day of Cuba. "Time heals all 

 wounds," and the courtesy and kindness 



