THE IRRIGATION AGE. 341 



on which all who desire the nation's prosperity can unite and work to- 

 gether in harmony. Humanity, charity and philanthropy are ap- 

 pealed to just as much as the activities and interests that are working 

 for the development of the material resources of the nation. 



Unity of tnought, purpose and action on the part of all who want 

 to see arid America peopled and prosperous is all that is needed to 

 accomplish it. When they have united the east will join with the 

 west to promote the common prosperity of the whole people, by open- 

 ing up the great fields for industry, energy and enterprise which lie 

 latent all through the great arid west, waiting but for the magic 

 touch of water which labor will put upon the land. Then, and not un- 

 til then, we will realize the fulfilment of the great prophecy of speak- 

 er Reed when he said: 



"Every wise man agrees that beyond the Mississippi lies the 

 great wealth of the days to come. In tne development of this wealth 

 we are all interested, and we in the east are not the unwise men to be- 

 lieve that we are not concerned in the progress and future of the west." 



The Phoenix Irrigation Congress outlined the broad ulterior pur- 

 pose of the irrigation movement when it framed "an appeal to the 

 American people" in these words: "We urge upon the American peo- 

 ple the profound importance of the social, political and philanthropic 

 features of this grand irrigation movement, its ultimate aim being 

 that we may become a nation of rural homes, rather than a nation of 

 great cities." 



The chief differences in the past among the laborers in the field of 

 irrigation development in the west, have arisen from the varying 

 views entertained by the respective advocates and opponents of the 

 cession of the arid lands to the states. On this subject the Phoenix 

 convention declared in favor of a policy which would give to the states 

 full opportunity to reclaim and settle the arid lands within its bord- 

 ers, and substantially endorsed the Carey Act granting a million acres 

 to each state on these conditions. 



All agree that the result to be attained is the actual reclamation 

 and settlement of the land by home builders. Why not then agree on 

 a policy which will give to both state and nation the fullest scope for 

 both to work to this end. The most pronounced advocates of state 

 cession raise no objection to the federal government reclaiming its 

 own lands, They turn to state cession only in the hope of finding 

 along that path a shorter cut to the desired ultimate result. 



The simple fundamental principles which are to be the founda- 

 tion of the structure must first be found. The elaboration of details 

 is a matter to come after, and the Irrigation Congress in its brief ses- 

 sion cannot expect to cope with the adjustment of these details. It 

 should not try. Time and study and investigation are necessary for 

 that; and this must be done by men specially familiar with the field 

 they are working in, with the conditions they must cope with and with 



