Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-06-19
TO AID IRRIGATION
HOUSE GIVES APPROVAL TO THE
MEASURE.

1t Provides Fund for the Construction
and Maintenance of Reservoirs In
the Western States-PresideKt's Re.
ciprocity Message.
Washington, June 14.-The house
yesterday passed the irrigation bill by
a vote of 146 to So. Many amendments
We're offered, but only one, except
those offered by the committee, was
adopted. 1t was of a minor character.
The bill already has passed the SEN
ate. The friends OF the measure
greeted the announcement of it's pass
age with a round of applause. The
bill as passed creates a reclamation
fund from the sale of public lands in
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho,
Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,
New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma,
Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washing
ton and Wyoming, less the amount
paid to local land Offices and five per
cent due the state under existing laws
for educational purposes, the recla-
nation fund to be used for the con-
.struction and maintenance of irriga-
ton works IN the states and territor-
les enumerated. Provision is made
for the payment out of the treasury
OF any deficiencies in the allowance
to agricultural colleges owing to this
disposition of public lands. The sec
rotary of the interior is authorized
to examine. survey and construct the
irrigation works and report the cost
thereof to congress at each session.
Section 5 provides that mo right to
the use of water for land in private
ownership shall be sold for a tract ex-
ceedlng 100 acres to any one land
owner and no such right shall perma-
nently attach until all payments there
for are made, and no such sale shall
be made to any landowner unless he
be an actual bona fide resident on
such land or occupant thereof residing
in the neighborhood of said land"
Section 4 provides for the letting
of contracts contemplated in sections
when the necessary funds are avail
able in the reclamation fund for such
section.
Section 6 authorizes the secretary
to use the reclamation fund for the
operation and maintenance of the irri-
cation works.
Section s requires state control over
waters of non-navigable streams such
as are used in irrigation. i
Presidents Cuban Message.
The presidents Cuban reciprocity
message was then laid before the
house. It's reading was listened to
attentively, gut without any demon
stration whatever. 1t is. in part, as
follows:
Yesterday, June IL, l received by
cable from the American minister in
Cuba a most earnest appeal from
President Palma for Legislative relief
before it is too late and (his) country
financially ruined
AThe granting of reciprocity with
Cuba is a proposition which stands
entirely alone. The reasons for it far
outweigh the granting of reciprocity
with any other nation and are entirely
consistent with preserving intact the
protective system under which this
country has thriven so much. The
present tariff law was designed to pro-
mote the adoption of such a reciprec-
ity treaty and expressly provided for
a reduction not to exceed 20 per cent
upon goods coming from a particular
country, leaving the tariff rates on the
same articles unchanged as regarding
all other countries.
objection has been made to the
granting of the reduction on the
ground that the substantial benefit
would not go to the agricultural pro
ducers of sugar, but would inure to
the American sugar refiners. In my
Judgment provision can and should be
made which will guarantee us against
this possibility without having re-
course to a measure of doubtful pol
icy. such as a bounty in the form of a
rebate.
Scuba is an independent republic,
but a republic which has assumed GER
tain special obligations as regards her
international position in compliance
with u request. l ask for her GER
tain special economic concessions in
return; these economic concessions to
benefit us as we'll as her. There are
few brighter pages in American his
tory than the page which tells of our
dealings with Cuba during the past
four years. On her behalf we waged
a war of which the handspring was
righteous Indignation against oppres-
sion and we heve fept faith abso-
lutely. 1t is earnestly to be hoped
that we will complete in the same
spirit the record so we'll begun and
show in our dealings with Cuba that
steady continuity of policy which is
essential for our nation to establish
in foreign affairs if we desire to play
well III part as a world-power."
W. are a wealthy and powerful ma
ton. Cuba is a young republic, still
weak, who owes to us its birth. whose
whole future, whose very life, must de-
pend on our attitude toward it. | ask
the aid for it, because it is weak, be-
cause it needs it, because we have al
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