407 
The  extension  of  the  Reclamation  Act  to  Hawaii  can  only  be 
secured  by  a special  act  of  Congress.  To-  secure  action  by  Con- 
gress requires  influence  and  hard  work.  In  all  matters  pertain- 
ing to  irrigation  the  recommendations  of  the  National  Irrigation 
Congress  carry  much  weight.  The  object  of  the  Hawaii  delegation 
at  Spokane  was  therefore  to  secure  the  adoption  by  the  Irrigation 
Congress  of  a resolution  favoring  the  extension  of  the  Reclama- 
tion Act  to  Hawaii.  This  we  were  successful  in  doing,  thus  gain- 
ing one  point  in  the  long  and  up-hill  struggle  that  must  be  made 
to  secure  the  desired  action  by  Congress. 
Hawaii  was  represented  at  the  Irrigation  Congress  at  Spokane 
by  a delegation  of  six  members:  Messrs.  A.  F.  Knudsen,  J.  T. 
Taylor,  W.  H.  Babbitt,  L.  G.  Blackman,  Harold  Lord  and  R.  S. 
Hosmer.  Meeting  at  Spokane  on  Sunday  and  Monday,  the  8th 
and  9th  of  August,  the  delegation  at  once  organized,  selected  mem- 
bers for  the  several  committees  of  the  Congress  on  which  Hawaii 
was  entitled  to  be  represented,  and  arranged  for  a systematic 
campaign  to  secure  the  support  of  committee  men  and  delegates 
from'  other  states  for  our  resolution.  A Hawaii  headquarters  was 
established  where  maps  and  literature  illustrative  of  Hawaii  were 
freely  given  out.  On  August  1 1 I made  a twenty-minute  address 
on  “What  Reclamation  Means  to  Hawaii,”  which  was  well  re- 
ceived and  seemed  to  elicit  considerable  interest.  This  address 
has  been  published  locally.  It  has  also  appeared  in  full  on  the 
mainland  in  the  “Louisiana  Planter”  and  in  the  “American  Sugar 
Industry  and  Beet  Sugar  Gazette” ; in  the  former  accompanied 
by  editorial  comment  to  the  effect  that  in  the  opinion  of  tha^ 
journal,  Louisiana  was  more  in  need  of  settlers  than  was  Hawaii. 
It  was  a pleasant  surprise  to  find  that  Hawaii  already  had  so 
many  friends.  Needless  to  say  we  did  what  we  could  to  add  to 
that  number.  To  Mr.  F.  H.  Newell,  Director  of  the  U.  S.  Recla- 
mation Service,  are  due  special  thanks.  By  suggestion  and  en- 
couragement he  was  a constant  source  of  help.  Indeed  without 
him  Hawaii  would  hardly  be  engaged  in  the  present  quest.  In 
this  connection  special  mention  should  also  be  made  of  the  cordial 
interest  and  helpful  support  accorded  the  Hawaii  delegation  by 
ex-Governor  George  C.  Pardee  of  California  and  by  Dr.  W.  J. 
McGee,  of  Washington,  D.  C.  As  president  and  secretary,  respec  - 
tively, of  the  resolutions  committee  these  gentlemen  were  in  posi- 
tions where  their  friendly  aid  counted  for  much — and  both  gave  it 
freely. 
The  resolution  concerning  Hawaii  adopted  by  the  Seventeenth 
National  Irrigation  Congress  on  August  13,  1909,  is  as  follows: 
“We  urge  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  to  extend  the  Recla- 
mation Act  to  the  Territory  of  Hawaii.” 
NATIONAL  CONSERVATION  CONGRESS. 
Following  up  the  advantage  gained  at  Spokane,  representatives 
of  Hawaii  also  secured  the  adoption  of  a favorable  resolution  at 
