| Show IRRIGATING ARID LANDS EASTERN PEOPLE HUGH INTERESTED INTER-ESTED IN PROBLEM Persons not Directly Benefited by Irrigation Ir-rigation Itself Aro Being Attracted to tho Idea I Chicago Nov 26Thc delegates to the ninth annual convention of the National Na-tional Irrigation congress which closed here last Saturday unanimously declare I that greater interest in the Irrigation I of the aridlands of the United States has been reached by this convention I 1 than any previously held We believe that theChicago convention I conven-tion of the National Irrigation congress I con-gress has accomplished a si eat object daftf UiiorgoJL Maxwell chairman of the executive committee It has I placed before the people of the whole United States the importance of the problem of national Irrigation and has particularly brought It to the attention of the people of the East in a manner not otherwise possible A genuine Interest In-terest In the subject seems to have been awakened So much good would result from the carrying out of the policy by the National Government and result In so many different ways that people who have no interest in irrigation idea irriga-tion itself are being attracted to the ideaIt would accomplish the colonization of the West and the creation of a great market for manufacturing it would result in the employment of labor la-bor the development of mining in assistance as-sistance to navigation to the prevention preven-tion of floods and in the relief for the congested condition of our cities in comllon cites supplying sup-plying material for thousands of small rural homes The membership of the National Irrigation Ir-rigation association now comprises I nearly a thousand of the leading mercantile mer-cantile nnd manufacturing concerns of I tho United States and has a membership I member-ship extending from California to Maine I and from Minnesota to Texas Agricultural Agri-cultural commercial horticultural and labor organizations from one end of the country to the other have strongly Indorsed the irrIgation movement by resolutions and given to It their earnest aid and cooperation We have heard much of Eastern opposition op-position but I have yet to find a single Eastern business mdn not In hearty accord ac-cord with the movement as soon as It Is explained to him The active i explolncd actve cooperation co-operation of the labor organizations bears this out rue movement hag finally crystallized into a sentiment which Is essentially national in UK broadest sense and the objections that are now enlisting in the Rational Irrigation Irri-gation inovemcnt are not promoting rpm any local or sectional point of view but from a coEivictiomi that the pluMing of American civilization nnd the buIlding of lionics for fifty million new citizens under the American las In places which are now waste nnd desolate IH a national purpose which demands support mom every citizen In I every sccllon of the country because of the fari caching and widespread benefits bene-fits from tho reclamation of this vast area of virgin territory would create a national prosperity In which all would share The great political parties of the country in the last campaign both Indorsed It and hence the movement is in no sense partisan or political |
