The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-13
The Unspeakable Sucker So Far
Defeats the Helena Public
Building Bill,
Garter Has New Scheme for
State Reclamation Of Arid
Lands.
To Saddle Immense Expense On States for
Improvements Federal in Scope
Tho Speakerslip.

WAsHlNaroN, Dec. 1o.-[Special. l-There
are thirty-seven public building bills On
the house calendar ready for passage. All
of them have passed the committee Of the
whole with favorable report and il q day
could be fixed for their consideration
would be put upon their final passage and
become laws inside of twenty minutes.
Two thirds Of them have already passed
the senate. The obsteole just at present il
an agreement on part of the committee on
rules as to day for consideration. Joe
Cannon is opposed to their being taken up
at all. Speaker Reed and Mr.. Mckinley
are in favor Of an immediate considera-
tion. 1t had been agreed that theS should
be taken up last Tuesday, but Mr.. Cannon
pleaded 80 earnestly for that day for the
appropriations committee that he was al
lowed to have his own way.
Congressman Carter, Of Montana, will
introduce in few days his bill on the irri-
CATION problem. It takes an entirely new
tack on this important question aud is
very reasonable proposition, apparently.
Taking the swamp land laws that were
passed in the fifties as model, he proposes
to grant to the states of the rainless region
dlA uCSOKO lhAOb WAvuAu tuo4I COnAAc0e uRON
the condition that the states shall reclaim
these lands by irrigation. The whole sub
ject is to be put in charge of government
bureau, probably to be connected with the
agricultural department, whose duty it
shall be to see that the states enter upon a
system Of improvements by building reser-
voirs and digging bitches that shall reclaim
from year to year quota of these lands
to be agreed upon between the states and
the United States when the grant is ac-
cepted by each state. Mr.. Carter says
he does not believe that the irrigation ques-
tion can be settled in any other way. The
United States would be very slow to enter
upon the practical work Of irrigation, while
the states would have direct interest in
bringing the lands into the market to in
crease the taxable valuation of property and
promote settlement. Tho hostility of the
farmers alliance to the further survey by
the United States Of streams available for
irrigating PURPOSES IS another influence also
which works fayoratly for Mr.. Carter's pro-
ject. He proposes to include in the grant
all timber land that is non-mineral. Tbs
is done in order to give the state q supply
Of lumber for building fumes.
The most interesting feature of the speak
ership canvass is the good strife of
the southern candidates to get northern
votes. It is the general idea that Mr.. Mills
will have considerable support in the west
ern states. He stumped Wisconsin thor
oughly during the recent campaign. and the
delegation from that state, which is almost
solidly democratic,qis regarded as his per-
simmons. He will also have the democratic
votes from Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska,
it is said, for these are very strong low tar
III states. Crisp, of Georgia, is credited
with the support Of a considerable number
of democrats in New England and the Mid
die states. Mr.. McMillin is also strong in
New York and New England, and will prob
ably have large number Of votes from
those sections.