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THE IERIGATION AGE. 



connection with the Congress, if it survives, 

 whether active efforts are to be made to rejuvenate 

 it and to instill into it some of the spirit which 

 made for its success prior to 1909, are questions it 

 seems that are worthy of the best thuoght of every 

 lover of the "West," and especially, at this time, of 

 every member of the executive committee of the 

 Congress. Personally, I would regret to see the ex- 

 tirpation of this once useful organization for this 

 reason : I am writing to the AGE in the hope that 

 the publicity to be expected through its columns 

 will result in a "vigorous discussion and let us hope 

 further in early vigorous action to extend to the 

 Congress a new lease of life, upon a new, and vastly 

 better, plane. 



The Irrigation Congress Its Opportunity and Re- 

 sponsibility. 



The International Irrigation Congress (former- 

 ly the National Irrigation Congress) has accom- 

 plished much good in the past. It has been a potent 

 force toward the upbuilding of the arid west. Its 

 policies and aims have been broad while observing 

 the line of demarcation between its field and that 

 of other organized bodies. Attempts to merge it 

 with other congresses have, so far, met with failure, 

 and success in this direction, as viewed at present, 

 seems improbable. Giving due weight and consid- 

 eration to all that has been done, it must be ad- 

 mitted that much has been left undone as well. The 

 fact is also incontrovertible that many of its recom- 

 mendations and "Resolutions" have called forth ad- 

 verse criticism how well founded depends upon 

 the individual point of view. Perhaps it is expect- 

 ing too much to hope to conciliate all interests of a 

 country of so vast a scope and embracing such 

 widely divergent conditions. These remarks are not 

 offered in a spirit of carping criticism, nor is it in- 

 tended to hold any individual responsible for any 

 real or fancied failure upon the part of the Con- 

 gress, to measure up to its full standard. Neverthe- 

 less, the "veterans" of the Congress are not willing 

 to credit the annual sessions held subsequently to 

 1909 with the spirit, the "verve" that inspired the 

 gatherings prior to that date. The Congress of 1909 

 marked the inauguration, with largely augmented 

 expense, of a new system that of more or less cen- 

 tralized control. Great things were expected of the 

 new order. It is a question whether, upon the 

 whole, the system has justified itself. In some ways 

 it has unquestionably proven a detriment at least 

 superficially so. This qualification is made, advis- 

 edly, since no mere item of organization expense 

 should, or would, weigh heavily in the balance if 

 measured against real results upon a grand, nation- 

 wide scale. The great expense incident to the enter- 

 taining of the annual "congresses" has operated to 

 deter many cities from extending their hospitality 

 to them. It has been demonstrated that the large 

 centers care nothing about these events. In the last 

 analysis the subject becomes one to be viewed from 

 a strictly commercial standpoint the business in- 

 terests which are looked to to supply the sinews of 

 war, cannot be expected to be governed by altruistic 



motives. Too often, in the immediate past, has the 

 best time, energy, and thought of the officers of the 

 Congress been given to the harassing details of 

 "raising money" when needed for better and higher 

 purposes. To a very large extent, also, has the Con- 

 gress been diverted from its serious purposes and 

 been made a plaything in a very justifiable attempt, 

 perhaps, to attract as large an attendance of visitors 

 to the city as possible. Nor would this, in itself, be 

 of serious moment, but this practice has had a very 

 marked influence upon the deliberations and policies 

 of the Congress. It has led to the injection, into its 

 councils, of a very considerable percentage of "float- 

 ers" from year to year random visitors from non-arid 

 states, who, without previous knowledge, experience, 

 or interest in the subjects to which the Congress is 

 supposedly dedicated, have, in many instances, de- 

 cided, by their votes upon committees, its attitude 

 and its official personnel. The present board of 

 governors comprises a number of able men some 

 of Whom are not novices in the duties of their high 

 offices. It is generally assumed that it stands com- 

 mitted to an "active policy." It is confronted, at 

 this time, with grave duties and high responsibil- 

 ities. There is no sincere well-wisher of the Con- 

 gress or lover of the "West" who will not bid its 

 members Godspeed, or who would refrain from as- 

 sisting them to the extent of his abilities. It would 

 appear as though viewed from an impartial stand- 

 point a new financial policy must be inaugurated 

 or the present expensive organization must be made 

 to justify its costly existence. To accomplish either, 

 or both, of these purposes is not impossible, but it 

 will require courage enough to discard certain time- 

 worn fetishes. The hopes of the sponsors of the 

 idea of securing funds from "individual member- 

 ships" at $5.00 per annum have not been realized 

 the number of such memberships, at the present 

 time, being insignificant. No other plan besides the 

 time-honored system of saddling all expense upon 

 one city during the interregnum between annual 

 meetings has ever been publicly broached. Whether 

 a feasible plan can be evolved and consistently car- 

 ried into practice is a question which is now en- 

 gaging the best thought of the Congress. Consider- 

 ing its vast field of potential usefulness and benefit 

 to the arid-land states and the minimum of expense 

 attaching individually to the 16 or 17 arid-land 

 states, a continuing appropriation of, say $2,000.00 

 per annum, from each, might, if constitutionally un- 

 objectionable, appear a happy solution of the dif- 

 ficulty. However, the expense and trouble neces- 

 sary to secure such legislation might be great, al- 

 though much of this work could be accomplished 

 by voluntary effort in each state, if so disposed. 

 Any and all efforts in this connection must, of ne- 

 cessity, be ably seconded by the central and per- 

 manent authority the board of governors. A pro- 

 posal to divert funds from the Reclamation Service 

 towards sustaining the Congress would meet with 

 serious objection upon the part of many who seem 

 to feel that this course would vest the "service" 

 with undue preponderancy. The Federal Congress 

 has been liberal in its attitude towards the Con- 

 gress upon several past occasions, but its largesse 

 cannot be depended upon as a permanent source of 

 contribution. Continuing subscriptions from va- 



