THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



597 



Eighteenth National Irrigation Congress 



The convention of the Eighteenth National Irriga- 

 tion Congress at Pueblo, Colo., September 26 to 30, was 

 an event of unusual importance to that city and the sec- 

 tion of the country surrounding it. While the attendance 

 was not as great as was anticipated, the number of ac- 

 credited delegates being slightly over eight hundred, the 

 general result was satisfactory to the people of Pueblo 

 and, in a way, will result in much good to irrigation in- 

 terests in that section particularly, and of more or less 

 good to this industry through the western states. 



As was anticipated, the congress was dominated by 

 influences over which the ordinary delegate had no con- 

 trol. There were, to be sure, some new active spirits who 

 became prominent in the meeting, and who performed 

 good work. This was especially true of some of the 

 Chicago delegates, and particularly so of Judge Charles C. 

 Fishback, who acted as chairman of the Illinois delegation. 



There was a noticeable lack of the "old timers" 



E. A. Fo\vler, President, Arthur Hooker, Secretary, 



ISth National Irrigation Congress. ISth National Irrigation Congress- 



among the delegates, in fact not over one-eighth, could be, 

 classified as the active old time workers. 



There was a fairly good attendance of foreign repre- 

 sentatives, and each state in any way interested in irriga- 

 tion or its branches, was fairly well represented. 



The people of Pueblo are to be commended for the 

 manner in which the preliminary work of the congress 

 was conducted, and the Local Board of Control was 

 easily the best organized and most competent organiza- 

 tion of any congress so far. The Local Board of Control 

 of Pueblo labored continuously under difficulties. In the 

 first place it was difficult to raise funds witlj which to 

 carry on the early work. Secondly, the counties of the 

 state were slow to come forward with assistance and this 

 required a tremendous amount of work, which rested 

 entirely upon the local officials. 



Pueblo was in gala attire, her streets beautifully 

 decorated and the citizens of that city keenly alive to the 

 honor which was paid it by its selection as a meeting 

 place, did all in their power to make the stay of the dele- 

 gates and other visitors pleasant. 



A feature in connection with this congress which has 

 never before been attempted was that of the National 

 Irrigation Exposition, which was conducted by an auxil- 

 iary organization to the Local Board of Control, under the 

 direction of Mr. L. M. Markham. Several blocks of 

 ground were secured adjoining the Mineral Palace 

 grounds, and on this tract were exhibited farm machinery 

 of all descriptions, pumping machinery, and in other sec- 

 tions were displayed the exhibits of the products of the 

 various sections of the state of Colorado. 



This feature in connection with the Congress at- 

 tracted wide attention and many visitors. Trophies were 

 offered for the best exhibits along certain lines and this 

 stimulated not only manufacturers but the ranchman and 

 commercial organizations throughout the state to an ef- 



fort to put their best foot forward and make the finest 

 showing possible. 



The most startling feature of the entire congress, that 

 which created the greatest excitement, was the overruling 

 of the recommendation of the Committee on Permanent 

 Organization in the case of Col. R. E. Twitchell for presi- 

 dent. 



It is a well known fact that Col. Twitchell was en- 

 titled to the election. It has been customary heretofore to 

 carry out the wishes of the Permanent Organization Com- 

 mittee. After the fight was over which designated Chicago 

 as the meeting place in 1911, Mr. Francis J. Heney, of 

 California, offered a substitute for that part of the report 

 of the Permanent Organization Committee, designating 

 Col. R. E. Twitchell for president, and a keen fight re- 

 sulted. 



The substitute named, B. A. Fowler, of Arizona, acted 

 as president of the congress last year, and was previously 

 secretary of the congress. This astounding change in the 

 plan of recognizing or ignoring the suggestion of the 

 Permanent Organization Committee would not have been 

 possible had the subject been taken up by any other than 

 a man as prominent as Francis J. Heney. After a very 

 close vote Mr. Fowler was selected by the adoption of 

 Mr. Heney's amendment. 



The discussion of this action in a general article con- 

 cerning the congress would be out of place, but THE IRRI- 

 GAITON AGE intends to handle the subject in another form 

 in this as well as subsequent issues. 



It may be well to explain that the move of Francis J. 

 Heney, who moved an amendment to the report of the 

 Permant Organization Committee, substituting the name of 

 B. A. Fowler, of Arizona, for Col. Twitchell. of New Mexico, 

 appears to have been prearranged and deliberately 

 planned. Mr. Heney deprecated the selection of officers 

 by a small body of men and pled for more democracy and 

 direct nominations. In other words, he made a move in 

 the direction of changing the whole former plan of the 

 congress and the framing of a new constitution and by- 

 'aws. 



THE IRRIGATION AGE is not sufficiently familiar with the 



Col. R. E. Twitchell, 1st Vice-Pres. 

 18th National Irrigation Congress. 



R. Insinger, Chairman, 

 Board of Governors. 



work of the Committee on Credentials to know whether 

 or not Mr. Heney was a regularly appointed delegate. 

 This is a subject which it would be well to investigate. 

 If Mr. Heney was invited to deliver a talk on Conserva- 

 tion and Federal Control, carrying out that part of the 

 program would be proper without his having been ap- 

 pointed a delegate. He, however, without credentials as 

 a delegate, would certainly have no right to suggest a 

 change in the constitution and by-laws of the organiza- 

 tion. 



A spirited fight was had in connection with this sugges- 

 tion, and the result was that the name of B. A. Fowler 

 was substituted for that of Col. R. E. Twitchell, which re- 



