The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1902-02-03

! shall be imposed upon the general
treasury, or upon the general taxpay-
ers of the country? Is that the gen.
| tleman's position?
Mr.. Sibley-That is a question whose
answer is involved in doubt. / do not
know what you now propose or may
propose in appropriating these millions;
but when you legislate to give all the
lands held by this great United States
government for the accomplishment Of
this purpose, I do not know what diff
ference it would make whether you
take $3.50, 900, 900 out of the vaults of the
treasury or keep $3.50, 900 of money
which might arise from a government
sale Of land.
Mr.. Newlands-Will the gentleman
permit me to state briefly what - 2 OBJ
jects are?
Mr.. Sibley-I would reply to my
friend from Nevada that / have no
doubt in the wide latitude allowed in
the debate on this bill he will have
ample opportunity to express his
views. The gentleman has frequently
spoken on the subject of irrigation and
made most eloquent presentations of its
merits. 1 have always listened with
great pleasure to my friend from Ne
yada. He has exhausted about the
entire stock of argument in favor of
the project, SO far as his side is con-
cerned, on the floor of the House. l
am not attempting on this occasion to
make much of an argument; but as the
committee are considering a measure
for the irrigation of arid lands and pro-
pose to submit it to this body, l desire
to advance my reasons in opposition to
that scheme.
Mr.. Newlands-Mr. Chairman, the
gentleman from Pennsylvania tMr.
Sibley) las sounded "a note of warn
ing" regarding the demand of the
West that appropriate legislation
should be adopted by Congress pro-
noting the settlement of public. lands
in that region. Strange to say, the gen
tleman soundd this note rpon a bill
providing for the urgent deficiencies OF
the govrnment; a bill which attests
the growing extravagances of the gov
ernment a bill which provides large
appropriation for permanent fortihca-
tions in the Philippine Islands; bill
supplementing appropriations involv-
ing expenditures of at least 100000.
900 annually N the subjugation OF
there of American supremacy; appro-
priations which the gentleman sup
ports as a part of our external policy
policy which, according TO the recon-
mendations of the Secretary of War
will involve the expenditure of at least
| s., 900, 900 in the purchase of lands from
tion among the Philippine people.
| And upon this bill, attesting the lib
erality, the generosity, and the extrav-
agance of the countr in other direc-
tions, and which contains not word
on the subject of Western irrigation,
the gentleman sounds i repeat, note
| of warning, raises the cry of econ
omy' in governmental expenditures,
insists that our internal policy should
be cramped and contracted so as to inn
pair the development of the West,
whose competition he fears in the rails
ing of farm products, and with vivid
Imagination he pictures Western raid
upon the national treasury and the con-
seuuent imposition of additional bur-
dens upon the taxpayers of the coun-
try Reckless concerning eXtravagant
expenditures abroad he is concerned
about reasonable development at home.
He would at great expense expand our
external empire whilst he would
dwarf the republic whose Western
States form part of that great Louisi-
ana purchase the development of which
has been the glory of the republic and
the crowning achievement of the CEN
tury. Since the gentleman thus chal-
lenges Western sentiment and Western
development, it becomes me as a West
ern man TO accept the challenge.
-
The Last Iseard oI II.