Arizona daily citizen., 1901-10-30
THE DUTY OF WESTERN MEN.

A dispatch from Washington init
mates that the Senators and Represen-
tatives from several western States
will antagonize all appropriation hflls
for the improvement of rivers and har-
bors, unless provision is at the same
time made for water storage with
view to irrgating the arid lands of the
west
This is practical and clever idea
and is justified by every reason of
right. justice. prudence and statesman
ship We are well aware of the theory
that Senators and Representatives of
right ought to be truly national and
ignore mere local conditions in seek
ing what they believe to be the gen
cral welfare But there is not Sen
ator or Representative in Congress
who rises TO such a height Not one of
them ignores local conditions. There
is not a senator or Representative who
is not ever ready to sacrifice national
issues for the benefit of the State or
district
The tax payers of the country have
paid for the Improvement of rivers and
harb0rs at rate averaging $25. 900 600
year for nearly twenty years past. In
spite of the comprehensive argument
that this work is national. it is as a
matter of fact. local and almost ex
chtsively for local benefit. Much of the
appropriations for rivers and harbors
have been wasted and much have been
purely theft to provide proyender for
the retaincrs of Senators and Repre-
sentatives
The Senators and Representatives
from the arid States ought to never
again permit the passage Of a bill ap
propriating money for the improve
ment of rivers and harbors until ade-
quate provision is made for irrigation
in the western States and Territories.
AS English statesmen have made the
whole British Empire-Ireland. India,
Canada Australia. South Africa. con
tribute to the wealth of England so our
New England statesmen have succeed
ed in making the whole United States
contribute to the welfare of New Eng
land We can't well blame New Eng
land statesmen for this 1t Is their
duty to look out for their own people.
But it is also the duty of western
statesmen to look out for western in
tercsts and the irrigation of the arid
lands that would convert 100, 900, 000
acres OF desert waste into smiling
farms sustaining millions of people.
and yielding millions annually to the
wealth of the world. is just as essential
and elevating prerogative of states
manship as improving rivers and har-
bOrs.
Senator Carter. OF Montana during
the closing days of the last Congress
demonstrated that the men interested
in the irrigation OF the arid regions
could compel the river and harbor men
TO tote fair" Just as soon as the
advocates Of river and harbor improve
mont become convinced that the ad-
vocates Of irrigation are in earnest
they will compromise and provision
will promptly be made for reclaiming
the arid lands.
The Citizen Is unalterably opposed
to special legislation for the benefit of
any interest or industry The taxing
power of the government should never
be exercised except for the general wei
fare. We believe in a fair field and
no favor for anybody. and regard sub
sidies as the special inquity of modern
legislation. But if ship owners are
permitted to raid the treasury why are
not farmers entitled to the same privi-
lege?
Recently n national congress of
farmers met in a Western city and
heard an address from an advocate
of ship subsidies. His argument was
the familiar one that the American
people must have a line of steamships
to carry away the surplus products of
their industrial plants and farms. 9th
erwise they will be cxtinguished. un-
der an avalanche of cereals. fat fruits
and manufactured articles
The Western farmer is not the un-
sophisticated person he Is represented
to be by satirists OF our bucoic in
stitutions. He IL more concerned about
the irrigation of the arid plains of the
West than about the creation OF sub
sidiZed merchant marine. His Is far
more interested In the enactment of a
law which will enable him to get bet
ter price for his butter by taxing ole
margarine and similar products than
in establishing additional transporta-
tion facilities at an annual cost to the
Government of $9,000.000
If the milllonaires must be paid 80
600. 900 year to engage in the ocean
transportation business. the farmer
can with propriety demand the cree
ton of reservoirs and dams to save the
waste waters to reclaim lands capable
of feeding millions. The development
OF American agriculture and the crea-