The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-07-12

The president has something al
, stake III seeing a proper admins.
tration Of the new law; Senate,
Hansbrough, az ito author, ha.
something at stake; for both have
said, the former in his message Ia
! congress, in which irrigation was
strongly recommended, and the
latter in his speeches to the senate
and to senate committees, that the
work should never be made q
charge against the public treasury.
Without further argument, it may
be accepted at once that there will
be no extravaganza in putting the
new law into operation, and that
it will be the purpose of the ad-
ministration to show that the anti
irrigationists of the eastern states
have talked unadvisably.
Several months ago James j.
Hill was in Washington, remained
here for several days. At the time
it was suggested that his purpose
in coming was to talk about the
federal suits against the Northern
Securities company. Such was
not the purpose of his visit. He
came to urge upon the senate the
passage of the Hansbrough irriga-
tioE bill. The most important
project under the new law, SO far
discussed, looks to the irrigation
and rapid settlement Immediately
thereafter Of half a million acres
Of land in north central Montana,
and in northwestern North OAK
ota, along the line Of the Great
Northern railway. This is known
IS the S.. Mary's project, and If
carried out, it will add immensely
to the population and material
wealth Of the country through
which the Great Northern runs,
and in that way increase Mr.. Hills
income.
The second largest project east
of the Rockies has to do with an
extensive tract of land in south
central Montana, known as the
Yellowstone park project. 1t will
fertilize a large tract Of land trib.
utary to the Northern Pacific rail
way. Mr.. Hill is interested, also
in irrigation schemes west of the
Rockies, in Idaho, Oregon and
Washington, but these need not
be discussed in the present article
Western senators and members
of congress who were interested in
irrigation made their first definite
organization for concerted action
at the beginning of the ffty-sixth
congress, in December, 1899. AT
that time a meeting was held at
the home of Representative New
lands, in this city, attended by
about 18 men. An elaborate din
ner was served, and over the cigars
and wine the subject of irrigation
was discussed fully, and Senator
Hansbrough was unanimously Sc.
lected to represent the new move.
ment in the senate. This honor
came to him because in the fifty.
fifth congress he had made a siren.
uous effort to attach an irrigation
rider to q general appropriation
bill. He failed, being ruled out
on q point Of order. but the matter
went far enough to attract the at,
tention Of both houses and to mark
Hansbrough az an earnest and aR-
gressive irrigation advocate.
I44 5l|l- I I " Y. :
Nothing was accomplished in
the ffty-sixth congress. Before
the assembling Of the 6fty-seventh
the present) congress, President
Mel Kinley was assassinated. Early
in October Senator Hansbrough
came all the way 70 Washington
from North Dakota to confer with
the new president and urge upou
him the advisability of recommend.
ing irrigation II his message. Il
was thet6rst time attention 81 Presii.
dent Roosevelt had been drawn Il
the subject in concrete manner.
He liked the suggestio and acted
upon it. After congress had g.
sembled Senator Hansbr rough drew
up r the bill, which, With certain