134 



THE IE RIG AT I ON AGE. 



William Hale Thompson, Chicago; John Hall, Lam- 

 passas Springs, Texas: A. J. Cobban, Rhinelander, 

 Wi*. ; executive committee. Lute M. Wilcox, editor 

 Field and Farm, Denver; Zera Snow, Portland; J. 

 Turley. Tin-ley, N. M.; C. E. Brainard, Payette, 

 Idaho, and Jolm Me Alpine, Duluth, Minn. 



In a recent news item we notice that thnre 

 Attempt is a sentiment among engineers connected 



to Change with the Reclamation Service to boost the 

 Name. Water Resource Branch of the United 



States Geological Survey. We note that 

 one engineer, Mr. J. C. Stevens, of Portland, Ore., is 

 either working in conjunction with Mr. Pinchot of the 

 Forestry or Conservation movement or some others in his 

 own department who are anxious to put over the conserva- 

 tion matter, but it is doubtful if a man in Mr. Stevens' 

 position would attempt to suggest as important a change 

 as that which is described hereafter. In his recent letter 

 to one of the officials of the Irrigation Congress, Mr. 

 Stevens says that the Congress can render the greatest 

 service if it will make a specialty of favoring the con- 

 servation movement, which is today so much alive in 

 the public mind. In fact, he favors changing the name 

 from the National Irrigation Congress to the National 

 Conservation Congress, because, as he says, this organi- 

 zation in the past has taken up the questions which 

 have led to the necessity for that broad view of the 

 subject which would be embraced in a conservation con- 

 gress, and he furthermore says that he believes the or- 

 ganization is now a conservation congress in everything 

 except the name. 



Mr. Stevens would better apply his efforts directly 

 along lines which would be beneficial to his part of the 

 work rather than the exploitation of suggestions handed 

 to him by his superiors or officials of the Forestry Bu- 

 reau. 



An attempt was made at Colorado Springs by Geo. 

 H. Maxwell and some of his friends to merge the Irriga- 

 tion Congress with the Trans-Mississippi Congress and 

 it is very evident from the suggestion which comes to 

 us through Mr. Stevens that some move of this kind 

 will be attempted at Spokane. 



These gentlemen, who by the way are nothing 

 more than the servants of the people whom they are 

 trying to lead, may as well understand, first as last, 

 that the Irrigation Congress was not organized for their 

 benefit and that its object today is to give an oppor- 

 tunity for the exploitation of such grievances as may 

 arise in connection with the reclamation of our arid 

 lands, in addition to the discussion of matters pertain- 

 ing to irrigation generally. 



The Forestry matter has grown sufficiently to hold 

 the attention of any one government bureau without 

 there being necessity for branching out into the subject 

 of water conservation. 



One is inclined to think at times that Mr. Pinchot 

 has "gone wild" on this subject. He may as well un- 

 derstand, at this time, that the west will not continue to- 

 tolerate his arrogance and dictatorial policies. 



What effect the new administration will have on 

 this policy it is a question. It may as well be stated ta 

 these people, however, that they will change the political 

 complexion of the entire mountain section, as sug- 

 gested by Mr. Robertson of Wyoming, unless their poli- 

 cies are modified to meet the conditions arising from 

 agricultural development alongside of forested areas. 



The public, generally, do not apparently compre- 

 hend this question or they would rise en masse and de- 

 stroy the power of the forestry bureau. One of the most 

 alarming features in connection with this whole work 

 is the fact that such estimable men as Secretary Wilson 

 sit idly by and permit encroachment on the rights of 

 settlers, farmers and stockmen throughout the west. 



And what is this man Pinchot, who is allowed such 

 power and control? One would judge from his ac- 

 tions that he has the whole federal machinery at his 

 command. Perhaps on some of his rare trips away 

 from the lines of railway he has gathered some of the 

 far-famed loco and fed it to some of those in Washing- 

 ton who are now his dupes and supporters. "Locoed" 

 would be a fairly good explanation of the condition of 

 those who are apparently following the suggestions made 

 by the man Pinchot. W r e wish at this time to reiterate 

 Mr. Robertson's prediction that the whole political com- 

 plexion of the mountain states will be absolutely changed 

 unless radical moves are made along conservation and 

 forestry bureau lines in the way of improvement and 

 assistance to the home-maker. 



The meeting of the seventeenth National 

 National Irrigation Congress in Spokane, August 9 



Irrigation to 14, 1909, comes at an opportune time, 

 Congress. and in all probability the matter of reser- 

 voirs and dams in the mountains will be 

 taken up with the irrigation men, who will also be di- 

 rectly benefited by the hoarding of the water supply. It 

 is understood that President Taft and several members 

 of his cabinet will attend the sessions, going afterward 

 to Seattle to visit the Alaska- Yukon-Pacific exposition. . 

 It is also expected there will be from 3,500 to 5,000 

 delegates and visitors, including prominent irrigation- 

 ists, orchardists, forestry experts and others interested 

 in the subject of irrigation. 



