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Show n4UE of irrigation mMEMRTS Head of University of Utah Says Conservation Must Be Practiced. PRAISE GIVEN TO UTAH Reference Also Is Made t6 Other Big Problems Facing Fac-ing Water Users. Special to The Tribune. LOG AX, I'tah, Jan. 24. "If tier-! many had been an irrigated nation, the German autocracy would never have rjcoped," declared Dr. J. A. Widt-57oc, Widt-57oc, president of the University of I'tah, at the afternoon session of the L'tah Irrigation and Draitage congress held today as part of the farmers' roundup and housekeepers ' conference at the Utah Agricultural college. A gasp of astonishment ran over the audience of more than 300 irrigators as Dr. Widtsoe made this assertion. "It is true," reaffirmed the speaker,; "that such a government as the German Ger-man junker has established would be impossible in an irrigated country. Under Un-der the ditch, where men must know each other; where a spirit of community commu-nity welfare must, exist; where cooperation co-operation must enter into the handling of the most, vital factor of life, water; where the golden rule must be practiced prac-ticed ili order that communities may live, a system of despotism is impossible. impossi-ble. I would that the whole world were an irrigated district that there might he more men developed of the Utah type. ' ' Duties Outlined. In showing what the Utah irrigator might give to the agricultural development develop-ment of the world. Dr. Widtsoe declared de-clared that three big duties rested on the western man. "Utah pioneered in irrigation in this country," said Dr. Widtsoe. "For seventy years this state has led in irrigation' irri-gation' work. Today, however, there are big problems that demand solution if Utah is to maintain her lead. The irrigators of this region, building on their experience of the last seventy years, must evolve means of saving the vast amounts of waste waters carried car-ried away by our large streams each va They must practice more effec--fT ely the principles of water conser-r conser-r vation laid down. 'They must formulate formu-late an up-to-the-minute code of laws that will take into consideration both the sociological and the physical as-Lvc'H as-Lvc'H of the problem. Two-thirds of land surface of the .world today is under a low rainfall. The time has come when these regions will save mankind. Out of the desert will come the conquest of the east. These great areas, under rainless skies, with enough water for irrigation and enough rain for dry farming, will feed humanity. " Laws Are Discussed. Dr. George Thomas, professor of economics at the University of Utah, in discussing the growth of the basic doctrines upon winch western water rights rest, declared that existing irri-Ration irri-Ration laws in this country came from the Spanish, through Mexico, or from England. "The primary statement of the Spanish Span-ish laws was that the stream belonged to the state to use or divert as it sees fit," the speaker added. "The English En-glish law introduced the so-called theory of riparian rights, which places the ownership of the water upon the laud adjacent to the stream, denying the right of the remote settler to divert di-vert any water. English law came to Utah with the pioneers." Following Dr. Thomas, William Peterson, Peter-son, professor of geology at the Utah Agricultural college and state geologist, geolo-gist, told how Utah should control the use of its underground waters for irrigation. irri-gation. "It should be the policy of the state to permit, the use of all unappropriated un-appropriated permanent supplies of ground water," said Professor Peterson. Peter-son. Officers Are Chosen. At a special session of the Utah Irrigation' Ir-rigation' and Drainage congress held immediatelv after the general meeting, "V the 1'ollowfng officers were elected for ensuing vear: President, John A. Widtsoe; first vice president, 'R. A. Hart; second vice president, 11. 8. Kleinschmidt; third vice president, Thomas E. McKay; secretary-treasurer, Professor O. V. Israel-son; Israel-son; directors from judicial districts, ('. M. Uogon, W. S. Hansen, Francis W. Kirkhain, George A. Slaugh, W. V. Pratt, j. W. Jones, A. Z. Marshall; directors from congressional districts, 11. K. Caldwell and VI. A. I'hristensen; state, at large, L. R. Martinean, Jr., and lames R. Murdoch. |