| Show WAS THE CONGRESS A SUCCESS T there I 1 no end to the divergent views as to the benefits to the cause of irrigation to bo derived from the ot tire late irrigation congress in A large majority of alio llio cipera of the country praise the work of the congress but there are thoo who arito it down a failure insomuch as it attempted to accomplish any in promoting alio of the arid regions and huott prominent in this chas of pessimist Is the san francisco chronicle which caysi diio ini gation ha been a distinct disappointment it ha not ilic which was made to convene it it has not made good it mas doubtless of value to individual delegates for ilic opportunity it afforded to cm opinion beyond that it ia 0 if the congress had neier been held alie time of the congre aa wait given over to papers and ad by pi eminent gentlemen all doubtless and well worth henring when one was fairly in ogden but not at all worth going it ingler to hear when by waiting a short they fan be read at ones leisure there but two important subjects on the congress fame to a vote ono a to determine whether iloise or kl aas o should have the benefit of advert inibig at it own expense as alie next jut eting of the longres eon gres might give aej was dediea in baior of el vw the uther was as to tho action which douht to be taken by con greas in respect to the x existing land bawa annl that was not decided at all we know that a majority of ehfe aiom mattw on resolutions ona favored the ain mediate repeal of land act tha commutation cladge of the net he mid stone act and that where forest ica erves arc established the so ernnie nt should bay at a fair valuation all private lands included therein the minority of the committee wera opi to of this action what tho convention did was to resolve thai we request the Oon greit of the united states to make fauch in said lawa aa will save the remaining public land for actual sctt lera who will found homai and live upon said lanag that la equivalent to passing no tion whatever on the subject for the whole question at aue was a to the areche action necessary to accomplish that end which no one openly opposes but which powerful interests secretly antagonize the in the most cowardly manner shir kedL its responsibilities and proved itself a humbug our british cousins tower over our people like giants in their ability to crystallize popular sentiment into definite language through the medium of such cong reBea as that at ogdan the promoters of such meeting arrange for a chairman for some distinguished personage to give utterance to the sentiment of the occasion and for another dh personage to catch the ball and throw it back the ceremony h quickly over and then the meeting gets down to baines bu ines an agenda paper that is ft paper stating the things to be done or dis cued ii prepared in advance and i kept within the limit of time possibility the assembly prompt ly proceeds to the discussion and to a vote when the meeting adjourns tho opinion nf the conference is definitely knowis arthe cac of the irrigation congress an impossible pro gramme was prepared apparently for hie purpose of attracting a crowd and the only useful purpose of such a congress lie ion was crowded out it appears to have been a triumph for the speculators they were afraid that the congress would stand by the report of the majority of ilg committee and were smart enough to prevent any vote at all there ought never to be another such congress it is of no earthly account A careless reading of the above might convey the impression that the congress in every particular was a failure but eliat is not the chronicles view as that paper lias already spoken flatteringly of the attendance and the interest taken in the proceedings and none eau successfully cess fully maintain that the congress was other than a remarkably interesting gathering of many of the most distinguished men of the west with a good representation even from the east what the chronicle finds fault with Is tho pro arrangements that allow ed the time of the delegates to bo monopolized with the reading of papers alien the congress could luc been used to belter advantage in a discussion ot the acma involved in arid land nution objection may be well taken but i it is one of the errors that can be corrected and remedied before the next meeting in el paso the congieta Congi eha this time may have tailed to grap it opportunity and to speak with the authority ot a body of nian fully acquainted with all the obstacles to be encountered in arid land reclamation but eventually the members of the congress will voice their sentiments in no unmistakable terms and when they do alic congress will give to their the desired publicity and strength from the standpoint ut an the was most successful it was in attendance and in the high cha racier ol 01 llie membership and it aroused national interest lu the subjects under consideration tho papers that gained alie attention of the arcas of the country through the associated press in no other way could haie received hie confider ution they obtained from one end 0 the country to the other attention wat directed to importance andine ozithe and if the congress nothing inure it amuat ba voted a great success |
