The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-08-02
AErsfnnIGArE

AIRS SRRIGArE.
WAsHINGTON, July 3O.-The Sen
ate resumed consideration Of the
suudry evil bill.
Senator Bowen offered al amend
ment apprOpFiating t250,OO for the
purpose OF investigating the extent
20 which the arid region Of the
nited States can be redeemed by
irrigation, and briefly addressed the
the senate IN its support. Senator
Bowen said he was not performing
an act Of merly perfunctOry chaFac-
ter in offering the amendment be-
cause the very reverse was true. He
was very much in earnest about il
and hoped IL would have the fair
and candid consideration which its
great Importance demanded. The
point had very nearly been reached
when the country would have no
land surplus. By arid lands he
meant all land that WAS nOn-prOduc-
tive without irrigation, and that
classification embraced the eastern
portions Of California, Oregon,
Washington Territory and nearly
che whole Of Idaho, Utah, Arizona,
New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming
and Montana, while the western
portions Of Dakota, Nebraska, Kan
sss and Texas were ia some seasons
seriously affected by drought. Ifna-
ture had TO be defended upon for
moisture, there could not be raised
on all this vast domain q single
bushel Of wheat, whenever and
wherever moisture was supplied
these verdureless deserts changed as
II by magic and became the garden
spots OF the world. A large part OF
the arid lands Of the United States
would for various remain 80 forever,
but the proportion which could be
redeemed aud made useful WAS
sufficiently large to make their
reclamation u matter OF profound
interest. The appropriation urged
WAS strictly within the line Of ecOno-
my, because il was based upon con-
sideratiOns Of the highest national
Importance and public policy. II
the grand reclamation Of arid lands
could be accomplished, and OF that
there could be no reasonable doubt,
the amount asked 10 inaugurate the
experiment Was but y trifle.
Senator Allison thought this APP
preparation would he but an enter
ing wedge to much larger sums yet
To be appropriated before such a
work can he completed.
Senator Teller favored the amend
ment.
Senator Plumb opposed il, aud
said the measure Was conceived ia
utter disregard OF the riparian rights
Of those who dwelt on the lower
Platte, Arkansas and Mississippi
rivers. He saw in Il q means of
speculation in the public domain.
He was glad that the amount had
been put az low as $500 for If il
had proposed an appropriation of
millions, there would not be two
votes against IL. This was not the
time for such work.
The proposition WIS supported by
senators Stewart, Voorhees, aud
Beck.
Senator Beck said that II the mat
ter we're entered upon on the scale
suggested il would take 81 900, 900.
The survey alone would take over
&jO0. 900. IL was \ scheme that
ought not To be gone into in
that form without more careful
consideration. The effect Of the
proposition would be in the interest
! Of Spectators.
Senator Teller said that the prOpO-
/ sition was not in the nature Of job,
A the senator from Kansas would
| have il understood. It was in the in
terest Of the great tOiling masses who
! lived on farms, aud in the interest
of the nation and of the world. The
| men who lived on farms were never
| anarchists, never revOlutiOnists,
but were the safety valve Of the ma
ton and Of the world.
Senator Reagan called attention to
/ the fact that there was no provision
/ in the amendment for Withdrawing
| the land designated As sites for
/ reservoirs, and that such lands
would be taken up by those who
! watched the operations Of the sur
yey.
Senator Teller moved to add the
| following words to the amendment
and the motion was agreed to: And
As fast as such sites for reservoirs
shall be surveyed, such sites shsh
/ he in n state of reservation until
the president Of the United States
shall otherwise order"
Senator Allison thought there
must be a misrepresentation as to the
] full effect of the proposition. II II
was not for the purpose solely OF
Of acquiring Information IL was for
the purpose OF embarking the gov
| eminent in new scheme OF activ-
ity.
/ Senator Dawes spoke Of the fact
that under existing laws the whole
Of northern Dakota WA held in great
land holdings, which were the
curse Of the country. II il could be
| made clear to him that when the
plan was perfected il would be for
the advantage OF the settlers Of the
| homesteads, he would favor it, but
he did not want the attention of
speeulatOrs drawn to the points
where they could make the most
iCOfit.
Senator Reagan offered a substi-
tute for Mr.. Teller's amendment to
the amendment, the following,
which was agreed to: "And all the
lands which may be designated for
reservoirs and canals for irrigation
shall be reserved as the property Of
the United States and shall not be
subject to entry or settlement until
hereafter provided for by law"
| Finally the discussion closed and
Senator BOwen's amendment as
amended was agreed tO-yeRs 2e'
nays Is.
The Crawford County System.
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