THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



337 



times as to the general outlines for the program. This 

 must not be understod as more than a mere suggestion, 

 as it would be difficult to criticise Mr. Beard, who per- 

 formed such a splendid work in connection with the 

 congress. 



We are showing in this issue a portrait of Mr. Geo. 

 Peltier, a leading banker of Sacramento, to whom the 

 financial success of this congress is wholly due. Mr. 

 Peltier is one of the best -known men in banking circles 

 on the Pacific Coast, and performed a splendid service 

 to Sacramento, California, and the West in general in 

 the good work prior to and during the congress. There 

 has never been a time in the history of the Irrigation 

 Congress when so much money was spent for advertis- 

 ing, decoration purposes, and the entertainment of the 

 delegates, nor has any other congress in the past been 

 honored by the attendance of so many prominent men. 

 There were governors from half a dozen states, United 

 States Senators, Congressmen galore, as well as many 

 other western "Sunbursts." 



Perhaps two of the most interesting features of 

 the congress, without any attempt to criticise the qual- 

 ity of the many splendid papers delivered there, were 

 the visit of Mr. E. H. Harriman and his talk to the 

 congress, and the visit also of the "Wizard of Southern 

 California," Mr. Burbanks, who kindly consented to tell 

 the delegates something about his recent experience of 

 improving the cactus plant and bringing it under the 

 head of a forage plant. We will print in a future issue 

 Mr. Burbanks' talk, as well as that of Mr. Harriman, 

 both of which are well worth the perusal. 



Mr. Harriman left a very good impression with 

 those who heard him; in fact, his visit to the congress 

 may be considered as his first real introduction to the 

 people who are working to develop the West. 



He spoke clearly, evenly and somewhat guardedly 

 as his position was a delicate one, and there were many, 

 no doubt, in attendance who would have been glad to 

 discover a ''slip of the tongue" dr a flaw which would 

 place him in an unfavorable light. By careful man- 

 euvering Mr. Harriman avoided all topics which would 

 possibly have created friction, and left a decidedly good 

 impression on his audience. 



Gov. Geo. E. Chamberlain of Oregon, who acted as 

 President of the Fifteenth National Irrigation Con- 

 gress, filled the position very creditably indeed ; in fact, 

 many expressed the opinion that he was the best presid- 

 ing officer that the Irrigation Congress has ever had. 

 Governor Chamberlain has a good, clear voice, decides 

 and acts quickly, and as a result of his ability the de- 

 liberations of the congress were greatly facilitated. 



One peculiar feature of this past Congress was the 

 introduction of what may be classed as the "Railroad 

 Idea" and "Railway Influence." This is all the mora 

 surprising when it is considered that there has been 

 more or less friction between the Federal Government 

 and the large railway corporations. It seems now that 

 through some means or other the railways have been 

 reached and their representatives instructed to support 

 all measures brought out or suggested by the Reclama- 

 tion or Forestry Bureaus, a rather strange condition 

 when one considers the position taken by President 

 Roosevelt and the bitter feeling which existed against 

 him until recently in railway circles. 



A great deal more could be said on this subject, but 

 it is deemed advisable to investigate the situation more 

 thoroughly before discussing it further. 



RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE FIFTEENTH 

 NATIONAL IRRIGATION CONGRESS. 



Resolved, That the great work of the Reclamation Service 

 and Forestry Service brings to the small farmer and home- 

 builder opportunity and prosperity, and we congratulate those 

 in charge of these branches of the public service upon the 

 high standard of integrity and efficiency that characterizes 

 their work and has uniformly prevailed throughout their man- 

 agement and we heartily endorse the forestry and irrigation 

 policy of President Roosevelt and the present administration. 



That this Congress heartily endorses the valuable services 

 of the Bureau of Soils of the Department of Agriculture in 

 making soil surveys and aiding in the development to the 

 fullest extent of the soil resources of the United States and 

 especially in the irrigable West. Presented by Sacramento 

 Valley Development Association. 



That in view of the insufficiency of the laws of some of 

 the States, the Legislatures of the various States and Terri- 

 tories be urgently requested to pass laws for the protection of 

 Government and private irrigation works. 



That we heartily commend the timely efforts of the 

 National Rivers and Harbors Congress to awaken the Ameri- 

 can people to the economic value of these great natural arter- 

 ies of commerce. 



That we highly commend and heartily endorse the action 

 of the President of the United States, the Hon. Theodore 

 Roosevelt, in his appointment of the Inland Waterway Com- 

 mission for the complete investigation of this subject. 



That we urge upon Congress the necessity for now enter- 

 ing upon the development and improvement of these water- 

 ways upon a systematic and comprehensive scale providing 

 for the rapid completion by adequate appropriations. 



That a committee of fifteen be appointed by the president 

 of this organization to represent this body at the National 

 Rivers and Harbors Congress to be held in Washington, D. 

 C, on December 4, 5 and 6, 1907. 



That the National Irrigation Congress respectfully urges 

 the members of the National Senate and House of Representa- 

 tives to provide in the next Sundry Civil bill, a sufficient 

 appropriation to permit the continuance of the investigation 

 of water resources by the U. S. Geological Survey until such 

 time as said work may be provided for under a new Bureau 

 of Hydrology which in the judgment of this Congress should 

 be created. 



That the National Irrigation Congress recognizes the im- 

 portance of the engineering works necessary to determine the 

 nature and extent of the swamp lands of the country and the 

 possibility of their drainage, and heartily commends the efforts 

 of the National Drainage Association to have this work pro- 

 vided for by the Congress of the United States and recom- 

 mends that the president of the Irrigation Congress appoint 

 a committee of five of its members to co-operate with the 

 National Drainage Association in securing the passage of leg- 

 islation with a view to this end now pending or being urged 

 by that association. 



That the National Irrigation Congress respectfully but 

 insistently urge upon the Legislatures or other authorities of 

 the various States, Territories, Insular Possessions and the 

 United States the principle that no man have a right to 

 use his property in a manner inimical to the prosperity 

 of the State or the people thereof, and the consequent 

 necessity of immediate legislation to so regulate the use 

 of privately owned property that the wasteful and un- 

 necessary destruction of the forests and other natural products 

 of the country may be stopped ; such waste and destruction 

 being injurious to the public good, opposed to good public 

 policy and inimical to the whole people. 



That we urge upon Congress the necessity of the enact- 

 ment of a law that will empower the Secretary of Agriculture 

 to appoint proper inspectors of the Forest Service who shall 

 have power to summon witnesses, administer oaths, and take 

 testimony in the investigation of any alleged wrong in forest 

 reserve management. 



That the Congress of the United States be respectfully 

 urged to acquire, by exchange or otherwise, the grove of 

 Sequoia Giantea, in the State of California, known as the 

 Calaveras Big Trees, the said trees, among the largest and 

 oldest on the face of the earth, being in private ownership and 

 in iminent danger of destruction. 



