THE IRRIGATION AGE. 4$ 



Congress will convene at 8 o'clock P. M. on Nov. 21, at Central Music 

 Hall, cor. State and Randolph streets. 



"In this session of the National Irrigation Congress all disputa- 

 tion and controversy should be eliminated. Its deliberations should 

 be guided by a high purpose and a united determination to arouse the 

 whole people of the nation to a realization of the national importance 

 of transforming the western desert from uninhabitable wastes into fer- 

 tile and populous territory. 



"The magic touch of water will work this transformation. The 

 conservation of the water supplies must therefore be first accom- 

 plished. The forests, which are nature's storage reservoirs, must be 

 preserved and the waters that now go to waste in destructive floods 

 must be stored in great reservoirs and saved for beneficial use. The 

 national government is the only agency through which this can be 

 accomplised. 



"The Chicago Irrigation Congress should be a great gathering of 

 representative men of the country, and governors, mayors, Boards of 

 Supervisors, County Commissioners, Chambers of Commerce, Boards, 

 of Trade, Agricultural Colleges, Irrigation, Agricultural and Horti- 

 cultural Associations, Engineers' Societies and Irrigation Companies 

 are requested to appoint delegates at once who will attend and take 

 part in the proceedings of Congress. 



BASIS OF REPRESENTATION. 



The governor of each state and territory to appoint 7 delegates. 



The mayor of each city of less than 25, 000 population, 2 delegates. 



The mayor of each city of more than 25.000 population, 4 delegates. 



Each Board of Trade and Chamber of Commerce, 2 delegates. 



Each agricultural college, 2 delegates. 



Each organized irrigation, agricultural and horticultural associar 

 tion, 2 delegates. 



Each society of engineers, 2 delegates. 



Each irrigation company, 2 delegates. 



In addition to the foregoing the following persons are delegates 

 by virtue of their respective offices: 



The duly accredited representative of any foreign nation or colory. 

 The governor of any state or territory. Any member of the United 

 States Senate and House of Representatives. Member of any state 

 or territorial commission. 



SOME REASONS WHY THE COUNTRY SHOULD ANNEX ARID AMERICA, 



The Secretary of the Interior in his annual report for 1899, says 

 of the irrigable area of the arid region of the United States: " That 

 this vast acreage, capable of sustaining and comfortably supporting 

 under a proper system of irrigation, a population of at least 50,OQO. ; 000 



