, 1901-12-16

of the States Afected-MondeIl
Favors Employment of American
Labor only.
Washington. D. c., Dec. 16.-(Spe'
cial to The Republican.)-No body OF
men could work more industriously
than the subcommittee of western rep,
resentatives which is framing an irriga'
ton bill for submission to congress
The committee holds it's meetings in
Senator Warren's committee room,
where every evening, regardless of so.
cial attractions which are offered dur.
ing the opening days of the session. a
full representation of the committee is
always present and at work on the bill.
The committee represents all of the
territories of the west, and as condi-
lions vary almost with state lines, the
variety of views is about as numerous
as the states to be benefited. The dis
~cussionh are informal and it is desired
that every interest shall have ample
opportunity to be heard.
The committee, early in it's sessions,
expressed itself with emphasis in re-
gard to certain letters and newspaper
articles circulated by Mr.. Maxwell
chairman of the executive committee
of the National Irrigation association,
and it is believed the disturbing infu-
ences of Mr.. Maxwell will not be allow
ed to further interfere in the work of
securing desirable and practical legis-
lation
The western members, in addition to
working hard, are displaying much gen
erosity. Should a bill be framed and
become a law it will be an honorable
monument to the man whose name it
may bear But SO far no one seems to
press unduly for this distinction and it
is not known under whose name The
bill will be introduced.
The committee has taken for consid-
u I u i Vi III -
combining best features of all as they
may agree upon them. The bill intro
duced by Senator Hansbrough. one in
troduced by Representative Shafroth
of Colorado, and one submitted to the
committee (but not introduced in con
gress) by Senator Warren, are taken
as the basis of consideration.
The measure submitted by Senator
| Warren has received much attention
at the hands of the committee. 1t was
drawn with the idea of h~armoniZing
the conflicting views held upon the
question of state andl national con.
troll of reservoirs constructed by the
government and of he waters so COLI
served. The committee has adopted
the first section of this measure. 1t
has also agreed upon sections 2, 8, 4
and 5, using, however, portions Of the
Shafroth bill and of the Hansbrough
bill.
Under the Shafroth bill the full pow
err of selecting sites and of calling for
reports and estimates is placed with
the secretary Of the interior. In the
Hansbrough bill this duty is delegated
to the geological survey, and in the
Warren measure. as will be seen, The
secretary of the interior is authorized
to receive reports and recommenda.
tons relative to sites from the state
engineering departments, in states
having such departments and from fed
eral officers in other states.
The committee adopted the Shafroth
section, which does not preclude The
secretary of interior from calling upon
the states for recommendations and es-
Inmates if he desires. Other features
adopted were to limit entries of gov
ernment reclaimed lands to eighty
acres for each settler; to charge SIS an
acre for reclaimed land in addition to
requiring compliance with homestead
laws, and providing that the govern
ment shall undertake no project which
will cost over $40 an acre for the lands
reclaimed. These provisions are from
the Shafroth and Newlands bills.
At the latest meeting of the commit
tee it was agreed, upon presentation
of the matter by Representative Mon
dell, that only American labor should
be employed upon the works and that
all Asiatics should be excluded. Also
that eight hours should be a days
work.
Senator Warren's measure. which,
while tentative, is a very complete
presentation of the subject of govern
ment aid to irrigation, is as follows:
A BILL.
Reserving, setting aside, and appro-
priating the receipts from public lands
in the arid and semi-arid regions of the
| United Safes for the construction Of
reservoirs and other necessary works
for the reclamation of arid lands, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the senate and house
of representatives Of the United States
of America In congress assembled, that
all moneys received from the disposal
Of public lands in Arizona, California,
Colorado. Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Ne
braska, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Da,
kota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming,
beginning with the fiscal year ending