Middletown transcript., 1902-02-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.

THE Senate has divided its time thi
week between the Philippine revenu
bill and Senator Nelson's bill proyidin
for the establishment Of department Q
Commerce in accordance with the recon
mendations contained in the President
message. The majority of the Philir
pines Committee still have the floor OF
the revenue bill and as soon as they bav
concluded their argument the minorit,
report will be taken up and championet
by the democratic side of the chamber
While no actual progress can be re
ported on the Nelson bill, better under
standing of its provisions is being arrived
at and the way paved for its ultimate pas
sage.
49,
Senator Hansborough of North Dakots
is working assiduously for the irrigation
bill, the provisions of which were agreed
upon 10y the informal COMMITTEE Of
seventeen" In reply to my question as
to how he met the argument that govern.
ment irrigation would simply result in
bringing more land into competition with
Eastern farmers and tend to lower the
prices of their products, the Senatol
made the following statement: 'eThe set.
tlement of the humid and sub-humid
public lands during the past decade has
proceeded at the rate of eight to fifteen
million acres per year and an examina-
tion of the prices of farm products will
show there has been no depreciation in
values, on the contrary, the average price
OF farm products for last December was
higher than for any similar period dur
ing the decade, and this, notwithstand-
ing the fact that there were disposed of
and settled upon during 1900 and 1901
over twenty-five million acres of public
lands.
-
'Now then, according to the most lib
eral estimate there is not sufficient water
in the arid and sub-arid regions to ifri-
gate over fifty or sixty million acres. I'm
der the provisions of my bill the limit of
expenditure is based upon the proceeds
of sales from public lands, which last
year did not exceed $1,000, 900 net. As
suming the proceeds from the sale Of
public lands to amount to 5000, 900 per
annum and the cost of constructing irri-
cation works to amount to $500 per acre.
it will be seen that not more than one
million acres would be reclaimed q year,
that it would take fifty or sixty years to
irrigate the land for which we can obtain
water and that this gradual reclamation
wonld produce no effect on the prices of
farm products. Even with largely in
creased proceeds from the sale of public
lands the reclamation would be too slow
to work injury to the Eastern farmers.
~
Gas to the expense, the bill provides |
that the settlers on land benefited by |
'he irrigation shall pay pro rata for the
cost of constructing the works, presuma-
bly, $500 per acre. 1t further annuls the |
clause of the homestead law
n so far as irrigated lands are concerned,
70 that the settler will be obliged to
actually live on the land for five years,
md so removes the danger of the lands
alling into the hands of speculators.
senator marlborough said he expected
oon to call on the President and explain
o him the workings OF his bill which he
cit confident would meet with Mr..
2oosevelt's approval.
, -
The subject of Chinese exclusion which
5 before the Senate Committee on Irri-
alton, is attracting considerable atten-
ion. Ex-Secretary of State John W.
Toster has appeared before the Com.
nittee and testified to the effect that the
'roposed Mitchell bill was in violation
+ our treaty with China. Mr.. Foster
against the treatment which is
ccorded to the Chinese by this govern
nent and dwelt on the futility of trying
0 build up trade with China for Amer.
can exports while we accorded such
cant courtesy to the nation and even to
;hinese merchants who came to this
ountry to purchase goods. I met Minis.
er WI at the Congressional reception at
he White House on Thursday evening
nd, while Mr.. WI aaid that as the mat
or is in the hands OF Congress he did not
sel at liberty to express his views on the
ubject with much freedom, he naturally
rifted back, in the course Of the conver.
alton, to the subject which is uppernost
D his mind. He said that there was the
rayest misapprehension in this country
a regard to the real conditions prevail.
ng in China and that, as matter Of fact.
here was nothing to fear from Chinese
nyasion.'' "China,n he said, sis ex-
an industrial awakening and
here will be i great demand there for
sbor for many years 70 come. Railroads
ill be built and many public works un-
ertaken all of which viii serve to keep
/ home the Chinese iaborers who,in for
1er years sought market for their labor
a this country" Mr.. Wu expressed
luch qualification at the publication, as
enate Document 1o6, of the anonymous
resentation of the Chinese position but
his absolute ignorance as to the
uthor. He further expressed, in very
raceful terms, his appreciation of the
airnesa OF the President in returning the
DOT taken in China by American Ma
ines.
~
To Representative Tawney, of Minne-
ota, is due the credit of a very impor-
ant amendments to the Heary bill which
, intended to take the place OF the Grout
i'll for the regulation OF the sale Of oleo-
aarrerine. Mr.. Tawney secured the in
ertion of provision in the bill by which
ny person coloring oleomargerine and
: