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Show OPEIIKB PROOF OF A WORLDjHTEREST National Irrigation Congress Attended hy Delegates From Many Foreign Countries. FIRST DAY'S SESSION LARGELY ROUTINE WORK Spokane Making Strong Fight for the Next Session of . the Congress. ALBUQUERQUE, N. M Sept. '20. The sixteenth annual session of the National Na-tional Jrrigation congress was called to ord.er at 10:30 o'clock this morning by President Frank C. Goudy of Denver, with every ono of tho -1000 scats in Convention hall occupied and crowds clamoring for admission. Nearly 1500 delegates wore present and today's arrivals swcllod that number num-ber to more than 1S00. Todaj-'s session ses-sion was devoted to welcoming speeches by Mayor Lester of Albuquerque and Governor Curry of Now Mexico and tho opening address in response by President Uoudy, of Denver. A feuturo of tho opening session was the lonr list of responses to tho address ad-dress of welcome Iry representatives from foreign countries. Addresses wero made by delegates from France, England, Spain, Portugal, Jtaty, Capo Colony, Canada, Cuba, Porto Rico, Brazil Bra-zil and several of the Mexican states. The foreigners have been given an important im-portant part in the programme and their presence is lending much interest to tho work of the congress. Mexican Band Ploasstf. A demonstration lasting several minutes min-utes wao made when a military band sent hero by tho government, of Mexico played "Tho Star-Spanglcd Banner" at the opening of tho session. Tho singing sing-ing of tho "Irrigation Ode" by a chorus of 100 voices was another fea ture which aroused cntlmsinsm. President Goiuty's address, a brief address by General J. Franklin Bell, VJ. S. A., and tho responses hy the foreign for-eign delegates occupied tho greater portion por-tion of tho morning session, which closed with tho appointment of com-mitteef. com-mitteef. There lias been keen competition compe-tition for places on the resolutions committee, com-mittee, to which, under tho rules of tho congress, all resolutions must bo referred, and it is predicted that somo effort will be mado to inject into tho resolutions criticism of certain phases of thn administration's forestry policy and souio ' reference to government rtr'iilation of tho public domain. Noth-iu'' Noth-iu'' of a political nature, however, is 1 ' Continued on Page Throe. ' OPENING PROOF OP A WORLD INTEREST Continued from Page One. likely to find favor with the congress. A "notable feature of the congress is the absence of men prominent or active in political affairs, and tho presence of an unusual number of men who are ae-tivo ae-tivo workers in the practical fields of reclamation, and will make a list of speakers of exceptional strength. Exhibit of Products. The usual exposition, for which Congress Con-gress appropriated $30,000, and which has brought together tho finest display of irrigated products ever assembled in tho United States, was formally opened this morning by Gov. Curry of New Mexico, following a paracfe by the troops of tho department of the" Colorado, Colo-rado, ordered hero for tho exposition. Gen. Bell, chief of staff, and Brig.-Gcn. Brig.-Gcn. Thomas, commanding tho Colorado department, took part in the parade. A vigorous fight is under way between be-tween Pueblo, Colo., and Spokane Wash., for the next session of the congress. con-gress. Just at the close of lho morning session ses-sion a telegram from President Roosevelt Roose-velt was road, expressing regret that he could not attend the congress, and wishing wish-ing the meeting great success. Wild enthusiasm was created by the final paragraph , of the telegram, in which the President said ho hoped to have the pleasure of signing a statehood bill admitting ad-mitting New Mexico and Arizona to the Uuion during the next session of Congress. Con-gress. Adjournment was taken until 3 o'clock to allow timo for tho opening ceremonies of tho industrial exposition. Tho afternoou session was devoted to formal addresses, and no discussions will occur before tomorrow. Reinforcements to the Spokane delegation dele-gation arrived today, and the Northwestern North-western city is vigorously working to secure the next session of the congress. William E. Smythe, of Utah, kuown as the father of the irrigation congress, was ill aud unable to attend. Mr. Sinythe's address was road to tho congress con-gress and mado a part of the record. According to tlio re-arranged programme, pro-gramme, D. C. Beamau, of Denvor, who is to speak on national forests and tho forest service, will deliver his address tomorrow. Tlio Illinois delegation, in caucus tonight, to-night, declared for bpokano for the next meeting place, endorsed George II. Bar-stow, Bar-stow, of Texas, for ' president, and IP. 11. Griswold, of Chicago, for secretary of tho congress. The California delegation dele-gation has also declared for Spokane. |