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Show ELECTRIFIED THE WEST. President's Irrigation Policy the Greatest Feature of Message. Chicago, Dec. 3. George H. Maxwell, executive chairman of the National Irrigation Ir-rigation association, in speaking tonight to-night of the president's' message, said: "The president's message recommends recom-mends to congress a national policy for the storage of the waters that now go to waste in the arid region, and the reclamation and settlement of the arid public, domain, which, if carried out. will result in practically doubling the wealth, resources and population of the United States within a generation. The president has outlined this whole policy in such a logical way that it shows that he thoroughly understands the problem j i and what is necessary to be done to solve it. He knows that water is the life of the arid region, and that the forests must be preserved as the primary pri-mary source of water supply. "lie shows, however, that forests alone are not enough. They must be supplemented by great storage reser-I reser-I voirs, to be built and maintained by the national government as internal improvements. The president shows, further, that where the arid, public lands are to be reclaimed the national government must also build great main line canals to bring water within reach of settlers and reserve the lands for home builders. His familiarity with western conditions enables him to speak with authority when he says that the problem must be solved by the national government and not by the states. "This message will electrify the west, because it opens up such gigantic possibilities pos-sibilities for increasing population and prosperity in that region. It will have the support of every thinking man and the business men of the country who have loyally supported the national irrigation ir-rigation movement will be more thrn gratified that it has received this endorsement. en-dorsement. The president has answered every objection to the policy, and demonstrated dem-onstrated that its inauguration would benefit everv section of the country and every class "of the American people. He shows that it is one of the greatest question'? before the country today. - |