The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-08
BUTTE PUBLIC BUILDING
It Took Hard Work to Get the
Bill Through.
IRRIGATION A NECESSITY
a Crisis Has Been Reached in the Life
of the Sub-Arid Dis
trict Commun-
tiles.
Washington Bureau of the Standard, J
No. LIE q Street n W

washington bureau of the Standard
No. 1145 G Street n. w.
Washington, March 4.--The success
full passage of the Butte public building
bill was very gratifying both to Sena-
tor Mantle and to Congressman Hart
man. coming as it did in the closing
hours of their terms of service 1t was
better fortune than they had anticipat-
ed. Both gentlemen have been devoted
in their efforts to secure this build
ing, and have hung to it through three
congresses. The measure has several
times passed the senate, only to be
blocked in the house-through no fault
of the member from Montana-but
through the stubbornness of Speaker
Reed in blocking all public building
legislation. But Mr.. Hartman's six
years vigil on behalf of Butte was this
week rewarded with success. His eff
forts have been constant First came
the securing of favorable report from
the committee on public buildings and
grounds. and next the much more diff
cult task of getting the Butte bill in
Guided among those on the little list
made up by Chairman D. H. Mercer Of
the committee on public buildings and
grounds 1t was finally placed on this
list, largely by reason of Chairman
MERGERS friendship for Mr. Hartman.
which has continued since they entered
congress together. Then came the eff
Tort to get day for the committee on
public buildings and grounds in COM
mlttee of the whole, and afterward the
struggle for a special order from the
committee on rules setting aside day
for the consideration of public building
legislation in the house. Both these
shoals were passed and on Tuesday the
special order went into effect that
saved Butte and several sister cities
their public buildings. Notwithstand-
ing persistent filibustering the bills re-
ported from the committee, with one
exception. were passed. Butte was
eighteenth on the list By the time it
was reached the opposition was pretty
well exhausted, and although Mr. Hart
man was on hand, alert to present ar
guments in it's behalf the bill passed
without debate
The agricultural appropria ton bill as
1t finally passed, carried an appropria-
ton of $4,000 for irrigati ton investisa-
tfons. This, as originally passed by the
mouse, was $4,000. but-according to the
report of the conferees-was raised lat
from the arid regions of the West and
the secretary of agriculture" Secretary
Wilson was deeply interested in the ap-
preparation and will employ it TO good
purpose. He presented his views very
forcibly to the conference committees
and there is no doubt that his advo-
cacy of the proposition secured the in
crease. He said:
THE friends of the development of
irrigation as applied in agriculture in
the vast region west of THE Missouri
river secured from congress at its last
session an appropriation &of $4,000 for
the current fiscal year. to be expended
under the direction of the secretary of
agriculture for the purpose of COL
lecting from agricultural colleges, agri-
cultural experiment stations, and other
sources. including the employment of
practical agents, valuable information
and data on the subject of irrigation,
and publishing the same in bulletin
form
With a view of securing economy in
the general administration of this fund
1t was decided not to create a separate
division for this work. AS by the terms
of the act the work was largely to be
done in cooperation With the agricul-
tural colleges and experiment stations.
Its general supervision was intrusted to
the director of the office of experiment
stations. Special effort has been made
TO secure the services of experts who
nave had not only scientific training
but also practical experience in irriga-
ton as conducted in the great West
with a view to formula ting plans |
of work along the most useful fines. a |
conference of experiment station Off |
GERS and irrigation engineers was held |
at Denver last summer under the di- i
fection OF the director of the office of
experiment stations, The problems of |
irrigation We're earnestly and freely
discussed at this conference and the
needs of the farmer for information on
irrigation subjects We're carefully con-
sidered. AS result of the expert ad-
vice which the department thus leceiy-
ed, ii has been determined to contine
the work on irrigation at present to two
general Tines: "a The collation. and
publication of information regarding
the laws and institutions of the ir1iga-
ton region in their relation to agricul-
ture. and (2) the publication of avail
able information regarding the use of
irrigation waters in agriculture, as de-
termined by actual experience of farm
ers and experimental Investigations,
and the encOura cement of further in
NestigationS III this line by the exper-
ment stations.
Arrangements have already been
made for the preparation of several
bulletins by competent experts, and it
is hoped that during the present fiscal
year considerable useful information
will be published and distributed by the
department. 1t lis obvious that thu,
present appropriation will enable the
department to go only a little way IN