Arizona republican., 1902-02-16


 in their way? The interests involved will be tremendous and the pressure beyond description.
 An honest official attempting con- scientiously and fairly to administer the law will find life one prolonged burden. This fund might become a factor in political control. An admins tration, republican or democratic, might listen somewhat more kindly or attentively to it's political friends. Such things have been known to happen. But all this should be avoided: it can be avoided.
 We should not depend upon the will of any man to do fair by all the states and territories involved. Congress should do that in the enactment of the law. It should provide that the funds derived from the sale of public lands, or the greater portion of them. should be expended within the state or terri tory from which the money was ob tained. This would be fair to all sec tions. If the object of this irrigation is to provide home for settlers, they should be provided where the settler needs or demands them. The sales of public lands will indicate where the tide of immigration is drifting; there the need for more homes exists-the supply should follow the demand. We should not force homesteaders to go where they do not want to go.
 The only objection urged to this is that such states as Nevada. Arizona and Kansas have practically no sales of public lands and have no irrigation. To meet this objection it would be suffi- cient to place 10, 20 or even % per cent of the proceeds of sales in q general fund. The state of Oregon, which I have the honor to represent, exceeds in the amount of sales realized from pub lie lands all other states of the union, passing the leader by F per cent Should this bill as now drawn become law. notwithstanding the advantageous position of oregon in reference to the sale of public lands. there would be an effort made to turn this tide of immi- grafton to other states. Oregon would not secure the expenditure of a single dollar for many years to come. The department of the interior has already selected it's favorite spots. surveyed them. made estimates, drawn plans. ap- proved the projects, and is waiting only for the passage of this or some similar bill to enter upon the works. These works are in Arizona, Montana. California. Nevada and Wyoming.
 Tn a letter dated January 2s. the director of the geological survey states that several hundred reservoirs have been examined in various parts of the arid regions None of these. so far as I have been informed, have been exam ined in Oregon. Washington, Idaho or in the California, except the Truckee river. the latter being intended to irri- gate land not in California, but wholly within the state of Nevada. If there int laaf aft ha construction of these works there would he a fair distribution among other states this condition could be en- dured in patience. but we have no such assurance.
 The geological survey has largely controlled this matter in the past and would in the future. Its members. while excellent scientific gentlemen are not elected by the people, are not accus- toned to consult the wishes of the peo- pie, and would not be responsible to the people of any one of the arid land states or territories. The inclinations of the interior department have been shown by the fact that while over s2,OOO,OO0 has been expended for Investigations and surveys of irrigation, so far as know not one dollar of this was ever expended within the states of Oregon CT Washington.
 "There are some other defects in the bill there are other particulars in which it does not meet my views. l shall he willing to yield on great many points. however, and to give the bill unqualified support if it is amended so that the state of Oregon will have fair treatment with her sister states. It is not correct, as has been stated. that I am antagoniZing the almost unanimous sentiment of my colleagues. It is true that in the committee on irri- gation of arid lands at the last session of congress. composed of eleven mem bers, six of them voted against this proposition. At this time most of them were serving more than second term, there was not among them chairman of a single committee, and all but one had been defeated for election to the present congress- Agreeing with me are such men as Judge Ray of New York, Mir Warner of Illinois. MT. Barham of California, every one of whom was chairman of an important committee and had served from six to twelve years in the house. What are the sen timents of the members of this congress CT the members of the various-commit- tees has not been ascertained as yet. It is known, however. that there is very strong sentiment in accordance with the views I express and they will be urged with all the power and vigor I can command"