The Florence tribune., 1901-04-13
CARTER ON IRRIGATION.
The House Chastised in tie Defeat of the
 River and Harhor Bill.
tFrom National Irrigation.l


 
 tFrom National Irrigation.l
 ''If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" is a good motto, but Never Quit" is better one. It tells in two words the unyielding teuacity of pur- pose that will bring success to the na- tional irrigation movement.
 In the session of Congress just closed the Senate fully recognized the national importance of the irrigation movement. In the Indian Appropriation Bill the Senate amendment appropriated 500, 900 to complete the surveys and pre- liminary tests of the foundations for tine San Carlos dam in Ariona.
 The chairman of the House Com mittee on Indian Affairs, Mir. Sher- man, of New York, defeated it in the House and in conference.
 The Senate increased the appropria- ton for irrigation surveys by the Geological Survey from $l0I,000 to $200,0OO.
 The chairman of the House Commit tee on appropriations, Mir. Cannon, with Mir. Moody, defeated this in crease in conference.
 They declared themselves on the floor of Congree in favor of State ces- sion, though it involved repudiation of the platform of the Republican party in the last campaign. That platform declared:
 ''In luther pursuance of the constant policy of the Republican party to pro- vide free homes on the public domain, we recommend adequate national iegis- lation to reclaim the arid lands of the United States, reserving control of the distribution of water for irrigation to the respective States and Territories" These declarations are utterly irrec- oncilable with State cession.
 The Senate amendment to the River and Harbor Bill appropriated about three hundred thousand dollars for reservoirs in Wyoming and South Dakota.
 The bill, as it was prepared by the House Committee, carried approria- tions ,aggregating $6O,000,OOO. The Senate cut this amount down to $5O,OOO,OOO.
 Twice the bill was sent to conference and twice Mr. Burton, chairman of the House Committee, and the House con ferees, refused to concur in the reser- voir amendments. They were ready to pour money out of the Treasury with reckless wastefulness for work on insignificant creeks and streams in the East, but unwilling to spend dollar for reservoirs in the West.
 They no dou bt thought the Senate would yield, as it did on the Indian Bill and the Sundry Civil Bill; in this instance they reckoned without their host.
 The whole River and Harbor Bill was defeated in the Senate by Senator Carter of Montana. He held the floor in the Senate for the last twelve hours of the session, and mercilessly exposed the methods by which the bill had beer made up and the wasteful prodigality with which it appropriated millions up on millions for unimportant or imprac- ticable schemes.
 The arbitrary and unreasonable op position of the Chairmen of the House Committees cannot continue for long to stand in the way of the reclamation of the West. The sentiment of ths country favors progress, and this sen timent is rising like an ocean tide slowly it may be, but steadily and sure ly, and it will sweep away with an ir. resistible force the opposition of a fey men who seem willing to use thei temporary power to stultify thei party.
 But between now and the next se: sion tireless and unceasing work mus be done to broaden the influence an extend the organization of the Nation al Irrigation Association. Success ca only come to this great movemen through the widespread campaign c education and organization which tn Association is carrying ou.