Evening star., 1902-02-21
THE IRRIGATION BILL
Chairman Tongues Views on
Aiding Arid Lands.
THE TRUE POLICY
BELIEVES THE MEASURE IS
ALONG RIGHT LINES.
Is Against Any Plan That Would Com
NIT the Government to Whole
sale Expenditure.
THE TRUE POLICY


man Of the arid land committee Of the
House. does not entirely approve Of the
general irrigation bill drawn by the western
members and submitted to Mr.. Tongues
committee for action. He said today:
L am decidedly opposed to any wild gi-
gantic scheme of irrigation that would
commit the federal government to the ex-
penditure of untold millions from the pub
lie treasury, destroying present farm values
and frittering away the homes Of coming
generations.
Such scheme. backed as it is by some
powerful interests, whose motives are not
far to seek, has not the slightest chance
of success. It's advocacy retards and may
for time defeat moderate measure for
just and reasonable irrigation. Such
schemes are not advocated wholly in the
interest Of the public good or for the
greatest benefit Of the masses of the peo-
measures incite opposition from people in
the east and middle west who fear any
legislation for irrigation, no matter how
moderate. that might be but an entering
wedge. starting the country upon policy
Of which no man can see the end.
The True Policy.
I'm my Judgment the true policy which
the general government should pursue. the
policy which has the best opportunity to
gate sufficient arid land to furnish home
steads for actual bona fide home builders.
This should be the object and the limit of
any irritation law. There is a healthy nat
ural demand for this and 1t should be met.
Irrigation should keep pace with rural set
tlement and the natural healthy increase In
rural population. 1t should not go faster
than this. Irrigation will not make popu-
lation. neither will 1t increase the BIRTH
right or the stream Of desirable immigra-
tion into the United States.
1T Is claimed by very respectable author
ity that people will go from the city to
seek, beautify and adorn rural homes. It Is
certain that the idle and the vicious will
well-employed and well-paid part Of the
population should not leave the cities. The
present tendency from the country to the
city is a natural result Of present eco
nomic conditions 1t Is because city and
factory furnish more remunerative employ
ment than farming or stockratsing We
should not change this condition by con-
verting them from food consumers to food
producers. by lessening the demand and in
creasing the supply of food products. It Is
not to the benefit Of farmers to increase the
number Of farms The factory and the city
are the salvation Of the farm. What the
great west needs today Is not more farms.
but bigger cities. bigger factories and more
Of both. AS q nation we are not In need
Of more farm products, but we are In need
Of more markets for the products We now
have.
ITO build American homes and protect
the welfare Of the home builder, not to
make a market for unstable land grants,
more agricultural implements. should be
the end and the aim of this class of legis-
lation.
Along Right Lines.
"The bill prepared under the direction Of
western senators and representatives Is. In
the main. along right lines. It seeks to
nd for
and safeguard the welfare of the home
builders. In so far as 1t seeks to accom-
plish these ends it has my unqualified sup
port. but 1t Is not perfect. It contains Sc
riOus defects which can and should be
remedied by suitable amendment. It pro-
vides that the whole fund raised from the
sale Of these lands Is to be placed In the
hands Of the Secretary Of the Interior to be
expended by him under his sole and unre-
strained discretion. so 1t be expended for
irrigation. There Is to be no other control
or restraint. BY the Both Of next June this
fund will be approximately $1,000 600 and
will increase at the rate of 100000 an
nually. AS this Is expended 1t Is expected
to return and be expended again many
times over.
The Secretary may expend the whole Of
that money within any Of the sixteen states
or territories named in the BILL in any one
OF them or any part OF one Of them, ac-
cording to his own sweet will. Such vast
power Is vested in no other officer of any
free country In the world. Congress is
asked to pour all these millions into the
treasury, deliver the key to the Secretary
Of the Interior, relinquish all control and
then point to the fund thus created and
say too all those interested in the expendi-
ture, whether for the public good or to
satisfy organized greed, There 1t is. now;
there 1t is; now pull for 1t, lobby for It,
scramble for 1t, scrap for It. and the best
and strongest interest take the most Of it,
Every state and every territory having
lands to trrigate or whose officers think
they have lands to irrigate; every owner Of
great land grants, every transcontinental
railroad, every individual or corporate land
grabber, will maintain an organized lobby
at Washington and will at once strip for
the fray. Those portions Of the United
demands Will be compelled to keep In a
fighting attitude and contest vigorously for
the expenditure Of every dollar they may
receive. The Secretary of the Interior will
no. individually select q single enterprise.
He must act through agents. VIII these
always be above suspicion? Is 1t best to
put temptation in their way? The interests
involved will be tremendous and the press-
ure beyond description.
IAN honest official attempting conscien-
tiously and fairly to administer the law will
find life one prolonged burden. This fund
might become factor in political control
An administration, republican or demo-
cratic. might listen somewhat more kindly
or attentively to its political friends. Such
things have been known to happen. but all
this should be avoided: 1t can be avoided.
Regulating Expenditure.
1--WE should not depend upon the will Of
any man to do fair by all the states and