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<br />/\' .~ <br />------ .f! <br /> <br />. <br />~rl QN(J~.1'\.' ('~iLl, (,"(' L::.J __ - <br />(. /~~ /I ~ 1/1 ~.?f'/t <br />\J.. .f\ ."~.' L ~'\ "~ I. /:/ ...... <br />ADDRESS BY CO;-1MISSIONER OF RECLAMATION ',1. A. DEXl-lEII1E:R BEFORE ASSO TED CHA} 'RS <br />OF COi-J'1ERCE OF SOUTH''F'BTERN IDAHO AND EASTERH OR;;;GON, AT HAMPA, IDAHO, JUNE 1 f <br />1954 <br /> <br />Or;"''''r,~ <br />U(..i.-Lol <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />For Release at 8 P.H., M.S.T., JUNE 18, 1954 <br /> <br />It is a real privilege and a pleasure for me to be with you here tonight. I <br /> <br />particularly enjoyed the excursion today over the rich lands of the !Joise Valley <br /> <br />where the contribution irrigation is making to the economy of this area is so <br /> <br />evident. <br /> <br />It is always an exhilarating experience to ride through the fertile valleys <br /> <br />of our ','estern States that have been made productive by irrigation. There is a <br /> <br />startling contrast between the green valleys and the uplands which are for the <br /> <br />most part sagebrush covered and suitable only for rangeland. <br />It 1s a contrast between barrenness and productivity which should stir us all <br /> <br />to action. That is why the groups represented here are to be congratulated on <br /> <br />taking the initiative to seek further irrigation dsvelopment in this rich area. <br /> <br />Let me assure you that the Bureau of Reclamation, with the solid backing of the <br /> <br />Administration, is ready to cooperate in every ~my possible. <br /> <br />The people of the West have been aware of the importance of water since the <br /> <br />days the early settlers first broke ground along meandering streams. The first <br /> <br />irrigated development in the Boise Valley was started nearly a century ago. <br /> <br />Like so much of our western reclamation development, irrigation was under way <br /> <br />here long before Federal participation was ever proposed. Since the passage of the <br /> <br />original Reclamation Act in 1902, the Federal Government, the water users organi- <br />zations and others have enjoyed a most cooperative and worthwhile relationship. <br />It started as a united, bipartisan effort by the western delegations in Congress <br />with the able backing of President Theodore Roosevelt. It is continuing as a <br /> <br />bipartisan program for the benefit of this Nation. <br />