The Florence tribune., 1901-06-15
BOOM FOR IRRIGATION.
Westerners Are Counting on Aid
 from President Mckinley.
Organized for Determined Fight Before
 tho Next Congress.
win Demand Aid Similar to that Now Ex- tended to Rivers and Harbors-M Much Significance Attached to Recent Speech by the President.

Special Dispatch to the Glohe- Democrat.]
 WASHINGTON, May 29.-There is belief here that the visit of President Mckinley and members of the cabinet to the Southwest will have direct bearing upon the programme of certain members and delegates to Congress for legislation looking to a general extension of aid to irrigation projects. A member of Congress from the South west says that while President McKin- ley has visited the states having arid and semi.arid lands before, he has never been afforded the same op- portunity of seeing actual conditions @hieh was given this time. Much significance is attached to a speech which the chief executive made at oDe of the stops which his train made in New Mexico. The report now in Wash ington has it, while the speech excited no general attention throughout the country, 1t was clear declara tion 'n favor of the government extending aid to irrigation projects. It will be
 recalled that at the last session the delegations from the states having arid or semi-arid lands pursued such . vigorous policy that they threatened
 the defeat of d number of measures of great importance. In some quarters
 the defeat of the river and harbor bill
 in the Senate by Senator Carter was
 attributed to his sympathy with those
 who had been defeated in their intent
 to have irrigation legislation ingrafled d
 upon it. The Senator himself has
 never confirmed this.
 Another indication of the activity of
 the irrigation people was found in
 the almost successful attempt to in-
 clude provision for what is known
 as the "Gila River dam." This at-
 tempt was made before the Senate
 committee on Indian affairs, and it
 was proposed to amend the Indian
 appropriation act by adding the provi-
 sion referred to. The matter was suc-
 cessfully reported out of the committee,
 passed the Senate almost unanimously
 but was killed by a narrow margin oa
 the floor of the House. Although dis
 guised as d relief measure for the h.
 dians it was claimed by opponents ot
 the measure that it was an entering
 wedge for irrigation legislation.
 During the last session those who
 were championing irrigation Legislation
 were much encouraged by lengthy J
 brief which was sent to the House
 committee on public grounds by MT. , Hitchcock, Secretary of the Interior , declaring in favor of compreh ensivs , irrigation system alm ost as extensive . in it's scope as the present aid which
 is given to river and harbor projects
 by the government. The expressions of the Secretary of the Interior were , said ut the time to reae.t the conc lu sion of the government experts in tn, geological survey. Those who know th' . conservatism of the secretary contenc that he would not have committed him self in the matter unless he had mad, through investigation and had SC , cured recommendations in line witt this final conclusion.
 The member of Congress intereste, "a the matter now in Washington say Mir. Hitchcock was much pleased al the opportunity which the trip afford cd him to give an ocular demon g stration to his associates among tn . Presidents advisers of The desirabilitJ g of the government extending aid t, : the irrigation project. The expres sions of President Mckinley alread r referred to are generally attributed U l the showing made while the presid gu 3 tial party was passing through portio d of the Great American Desert. It 6 authoritatively stated that the irriga tion people have thoroughly organize h and will either force the members in y terested iu river and harbor improve [ meuts to abandon the hope of aid i l this direction or else make desire, r concessions.
 : In this connection the followinl