Evening star., 1902-01-21
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

The House, without preliminary business
today. went into committee of the whole
and resumed the general debate upon the
urgent deficiency appropriation bill. Mr.
Slbley Pa-) made general speech In OPP
position to the government entering at this
time upon scheme for the irrigation OF
arid lands in the west
Mr.. Sibley said every one who had wit
messed the tests knew the wonderful pro-
ductive results of irrigation, but he be-
lieved the whole question was for another
generation. Members representing an agri-
cultural constituency should oppose a
measure which involved the expenditure or
untold millions to be taken by taxation
from all. He spoke of the decline in value
of farm lands IN eastern, middle and south
ern states. yet this was proposition to
open up hundreds of millions acres more
to be in open competition with these farms.
Let us wait said Mr.. Sibley, until our
increased population shall so expand that
these lands shall be needed to meet the de-
mand for greater food supply. To my
mind. II we undertake the present accom-
plishment of irrigation we shall be pressing
a poisoned chalice to the lips of the farm
Ing classes in this nation which IL 1t does
not kill them, will at least leave them for
another generation in torpor or misery
Mr.. Newlands on Irrigation.
Mr.. Newlands (Nev.), an earnest advocate
of the irrigation of arid lands, replied to
Mr.. Sibley. He explained the provisions
OF the bill which It was proposed to pre-
sent to the House, to show that 1t would
not create a charge on the public treasury
but would employ only the fund raised from
the sale of arid lands for the work Of re-
clamation. He argued that the irrigation
of western arid lands would not constitute
threat against the farmers Of the Older
states. While there were 60O,0 1000 acres
of arid land in the west he said there was
rot water enough to reclaim more than TO-
100000 acres, an area twice as large as
Iowa, and generations would be required to
bring all these lands under irrigation.
Mr.. Mondell CWyo.) also defended the re-
Gently formulated irrigation bill.
Opposed to Thirty Days Sick Leave.
Representative Robinson of Indiana took
occasion to attack the proposition granting
thirty days sick leave to government en-
pioyes. He said that the privilege was
given only to those located in Washington
some twelve or fourteen thousand clerks
Out of this number Mr.. Robinson said
that over 50 per cent took advantage Of the
privilege. which cost the government over
$3,OOO,OoO annually. He declared that the
privilege was abused to the fullest extent.
Mr. Robinson stated that although over so
per cent of the employees always availed
themselves Of the sick leave, he did not
notice that there was any decrease in the
death rate among the clerks. He said that
the printers were now asking for the privi-
lege, while employees at navy yards, ar
senals and in the rural free delivery service
were given no leave at all. He thought
these clerks should be allowed at least fif.
teen days annual leave, and declared that
thirty days leave was enough for any en-
pioye, and opposed the additional thirty
days sick leave.
On the Philippines.
Mr.. Kern Qll.) delivered a general speech
in opposition to the Administrations Philip
pine policy.
Mr.. Gaines CTenn.) opposed the item in
the bill providing for the establishment of
a military post at Manila, and made it
the text for a general denunciation of the
administrations policy in the Philippines