The Florence tribune., 1901-02-02
United States Senate
 Approves It.
Bill Now in Conference
 Committee.
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reads as follows: 'For survey and work for a dam across the Gila river on the San Carlos Indian Arizona, $l00,OOO" In re- porting the amendment Hon. Jobn NJ. Thurston, chairman of the committee on Indian affairs, made the following statement:
 "ln the matter of the dam across the Gila River at the San Carlos Indian Reservation, in the Territory of Ariz- ona, your committee has been guided by the statements of many who have been on the ground and are in a posi- tion to know the conditions, and by the chief hydrographer of the Geolo- gicaf Survey taken before the subcom- mittee."
 Mr. Platt, of Connecticut opposed the appropriation of $l00,000 for inves- tigation aud survey of proposed irriga- tion dams and canals on the Gila River in the San Carlos reservation in Ari- zona. He said he was opposed to the plan, as it was one which would com init the government to new policy, which would be one of immense cost before it was carried out. Mir. Platt explained that settlers at the head of the Gila River had taken up water rights at the head of the stream and thus cut down the supply. The amend ment, he said, was framed in reality to commit the government to policy of national irrigation. MT. Platt said that all the irrigation needed for the Indians could be secured for sl00,000. but that the irrigation advocates fa- vorea this scheme becauss it would foist the burden of irrigation of the arid lands inevitably upon the govern ment.
 Mr. Stewart centended that the amendment contemplated only the completion of the surveys already un- der way, and nothing wo uld follow but submission of the complete pan to Congress.
 Mr. Stewart made genesa. gu ment favoring irrigation 0; the u lands.
 MT. Quarles of Wisconsin q scns>ed the general irrigation proposition, in dorsing it, put deploring what he called the guerrilla tactics which at- tempted to secure legislation npon ap- propriation bills rather than by bring ing forward a bill contemplating the whole scheme of watering the arid re- gions. He said that what he opposed was the method and not the scheme He said the States and nation must act in harmony to preserve water rights, and action must be taken quickly to secure all rights for the people.
 Mir. Thurston, chairman of the h. dian Committee, resented the imputa- tion that the committee was moving by indirection or was endeavoring to secure by unfair means any advant- age to the irrigation advocates.
 Mir. Thurston went over the legal phases of the storage of water by such ( dam as is proposed. Then taking up the general features, he said the site for the proposed dam was the most favorabl, that might be chosen for an irrigation experiment. lie protested that ther, was always objection when a smal appropriation was asked for the West
 while western men were ready to vot' for coast improvements.
 Mir. Chandler caustically replied tt strictures on New England by Mir
 Thurston. Mir. Chandler reviewed tn
 history of irrigation, and said h
 favored comprehensive plan of irri
 gation, and hoped some such sehem
 would be reported.
 Mir. Thurston, referring to the East
 said moss seemed to grow no longe
 on the houses, but upon some of tn
 citizens. Against this expression. Nil
 Platt of Connecticut put himself O
 record as against any classification (
 the East as against the West, or an
 other section. He had always, he sait
 endeavored to faithfully represent u
 entire country, and he was favorab
 to an irrigation scheme when careful
 prepared. He asserted that there wi a lobby in the interest of irrigation 3 and declared that the feeling had bee worked up without any reference the cost of the work.
 7 Notwithstanding the opposition, u amendment was adopted by the Sena e and the bill passed that body { g Wednesday. The first information hi a in Florence was in a dispatch receive d by the TaIBUNE from George H. Ma ! we'll. executive chairman of the N F tional Irrigation Congress, who h f been actively engaged in Washingt' h in furthering the good work. g The bill has gone back to the Hou l. in which it originated, and the matt h is now in the hands of conferen ' committee, of which Senator Jones, I- Arkansas, is member. It was
 ,,orfad that ba ie onnosed to the $