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Show I. J. S. W1DTS0E IN 1 ADDRESS ON IRlffll LOGAN. Utah, Jan. 21. "If Ger-manv Ger-manv had been an irrigated nation, the German autocracy would never have developed." declared Dr. J. A. Widt-soe. Widt-soe. president of the University of Utah, at tho afternoon session of tho Utah Irrigation and Drainage 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. Widtsoc made this assertion. "It is true," reaffirmed the speaker, "that such a governmont as the German Ger-man junker has established would bo imposslblo m an irrigated country. Under tho ditch, where men must know each other; where a spirit of community welfare must exist; where co-oporatlon must onter into tho handling han-dling of the most vital factor of life, water; whore tho golden rule must ho practiced in order that communities may live, a system of despotism is impossible, im-possible, I would that tho whole world wero an irrigated district that thero might bo more men developed of the Utah type." Duties Outlined. In showing what tho Utah irrigator might give to tho agricultural develop-1 ment of the world. Dr. Wldstoo do-, clared that three big duties rested on tho western man. "Utah pioneered in irrigation in this, country." said Dr. Widstoe. "For seventy sev-enty years this state has led in Irrigation Irri-gation work. Today, however, there aro big problems that demand solii-1 tion if Utah is to maintain hor lead.1 i The irrigators of this region, building . i 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 year. They must practice moro effectively effec-tively the principles of water conservation conser-vation laid down. They must formulate formu-late an up-to-the-minute code of laws that will lake into consideration both the socialogical and tho physical aspects as-pects 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 tho conquest of the east. These great areas, under rainless skies, wlM enough water for irrigation irriga-tion and enough rain -for dry farming, will feed humanity." Lavs Are Discussed. Dr. George Thomas, professor of economics at the University of Utah, in discussing the growth of the basic doctrines upon which western water rights rest, declared that existing irrigation irri-gation 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 uso or divert as it sees fit." the speaker added. "The English law introduced the so-called theory of riparian rights, which places the ownership of the water upon the land adjacent to the stream, denying the right of tho remote settler to divert any water. English law came to Utah with the pioneers." Following Dr. Thomas, William Peterson, Pet-erson, professor of geology at tho Utah Agricultural college and stato geologist, geolo-gist, told how Utah should conttrol the use of its underground waters for Irrigation. Irri-gation. "It should bo the policy of the stato 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 immediately after the general meeting, tho following officers wore elected for tho ensuing year: President. John A. Widtsoo; first mm vice president, R. A. Hart; second vice u presidentvH. S. Kleinschmidt; third i'P vice presfdent, Thomas E. McKay; ; secretary-treasurer, Professor O. W. J Isrealson; directors from judicial dis- tj 'tricts. C. J.I. Logan, W. S. Hansen, Francis W. Kirkham, George A- Slaugh, i W. F. Pratt, L. W. Jones, A. Z. Mar- j shall; directors from congressional .1 districts. R. E. Caldwell and H. A. jj Christensen; state at large, L. R. Mar- If tineau, Jr., and James R. Murdock. j |