, 1899-03-03
FRIDAY MARCH. 3. 1899.
THE FIGHT FOR THE ARID REGION

lowing account of Senator Warren's
great fight for the appropriation for the
benefit of the arid region:
The great engineering enterprise of
modern times, whereby the Nile is to
be harnessed in a reservoir for the pur-
pose of producing fertile fields. is like
ly to see its counterpart in the United
States through the adoption of an
amendment to the river and harbor bill
in the senate yesterday. The PROPOSE
ton is to establish a group of reser-
voirs in Wyoming. and also to inau-
gurate a system of surveys as to the
practicability of creating other reser-
voirs in the arid and semi-arid states,
with particular reference to the head
waters of the Missouri river. The ma
tural gorges in the mountains are to be
crossed by great dams and artificial
lakes for storing water created.
The fight for the adoption of this
amendment was led by Senator War
rem of Wyoming, who is a recognized
authority upon the important questions
of %irrigating the arid lands. Senator
Frye, chairman of the committee on
commerce, which reported the bill, an
nounced his opposition to the proposed
appropriation, but Notwithstanding
this fact, Senator Warren's forcible
presentation of the facts and his strong
proposed undertaking resulted in ia
vorable action. Senator Foraker. Gal
finger, Clark, Carter, Allen, and Teller
gave efficient aid, while Senators Raw
Inns, Spooner, and Gray were the
strongest opponents.
One of the strongest points made by
Senator Warren was his assertion that
only 700, 900 900 acres of the public do
main o remain to the government
and Of these GOO, 900, 900 are arid land.
1t was, therefore, most essential to the
government that these vast tracts be
made productive, as they could be if ir-
rigation was introduced. Mr.. Warren
also combated with great vigor the ar
gument of Senator Gray that the pro-
posed legislation would place an I'M
equal burden upon the farmers of the
east. Mr.. Warren deprecated the
bringing of s~ectionalism into this great
question and then pointed out the enor-
nous amount Of wealth in gold silver,
copper, lead, sheep, wool, cattle and
horses produced by the people of the
arid and semi-arid lands of the west.
They are engaged in producing some
thing and are not living off each other
and loaning money at usurious rates of
interest" said Mr.. Warren. 1T is nee
essary, however, while they are adding
to the nations wealth that they raise
forage for the mules that bring the ore
from the mines, and this can De done
when the land is irrigated"
Mr.. Warren also twitted Senator Gray
with advocating free wool from Aus
tralia and South America to compete
with the wool raised in the arid regions,
when the Dingley bill was being con-
sidered. If the east was to be placed
against the west, however, the river
and harbor bill, said the senator, appro-
priated no less than $2S, 000, 900 for the
eastern half of the United States and
only "a paltry and measly s 2 ,000, 900"
for the western half. The nine states
not mentioned in the bill, except in the
proposed amendment, were all in the
west-Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming,
Montana, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas.
South Dakota and North Dakota. Mr..
Warren said that he thanked God that
no representative or Senator from Wy
oming had ever voted against any bill
for river and harpor improvements or
for an increased navy, or anything else
that benefited the east. yet you talk
about an appropriation of 500, 600 be-
ing too much to go to the entire arid
region" said Mr.. Warren, land say |
that 1t is taking too much money from
the toilers of the east and expanding
it in the west"
In this connection Mr.. Warren paid
eloquent tribute to the western men
who are in the army in the Philippines.
Who is doing the fighting for the Unit