, 1902-03-12
M0NDELL REPLIES
TO THE CRITICISM OF OMAHA
COMMERCIAL CLUB ON IRRlGA-
TON MEASURE.
Writes Caustic Letter To Secretary Of
the Club and Asks Club To Look
Behind George H.. Maxwell and
Find Railroads In Opposition To
the Irrigation Scheme.

Washington, D. c.. March l2.-The
Commercial club of Omaha, which has
sent to each member of congress n
copy Of resolutions recently adopted
by that body in relation to the reclama-
ton and settlement of the arid public
domain, and in Il measure ~antagoniz-
ing the present irrigation bill, now
pending in the house is coming in for
considerable criticism from members
of congress from the arid and semi
arid states. Senator Dietrich said he
regretted very much the action of the
commercial club and said that it had
been deceived by some person or per-
sons or else had failed to understand
thoroughly the provisions of the pre-
sent bill.
Several senators and representatives
from the arid and semi-arid states who
have received copies of these resolu,
lions have objected to presenting them
in the form of petition. Especially is
this true of Representative Mondell.
who mailed to j. f. UT, secretary of
the club, a letter which critically ana
lyzes the resolutions of the CONNER
cial club and intimates that if the men,
bers Of the clug will look behing Geo.
f. Maxwell they will find several
railroads who are really responsible
for the opposition to the present irri-
cation bill. In his letter he says:
81 hope that your club will see fit
to reconsider the stand it has taken
and which | am constrained to believe
was taken without careful investiga-
ton with regard to the bill o before
the house For the first time in our
history there is hope of securing some
legislation. which will give us immedl-
ately upon its passage nearly $4,000,
900 and to which will be added yearly
about 81, 500. 900. | am aware that GER
tain parties have been pes~tiferously
active in urging the adoption of the
resolutions presented by them to your
club. Whether they are actuated by
motives of pure philanthropy ! leave
for you to decide.
Study the railroad map wit a view
OF ascertaining the Xac location OF
the three specific projects named in
the inquiry as to the principal source
of income of these promoters might
somewhat illuminate the subject. May
not the opposition from the same
source to the bill now before congress
which so carefully safeguards against
speculative entry, and whose provl
sions in regard to water rights for pri
vate lands are fatal to large corporate
Or individual land holdings. have rela
ton to the fact there are such holdings
about the three projects named, ant
in some other portion of the west?'
In further discussing the clubs
action. he says: Am I to understand
that the Commercial club is averse tt
the construction of these other enter
prises, some Of the best of which arr
so situated that their construction
would be of direct benefit to Nebrask;
and the country reclaimed would lie il
the territory directly tributary to thu
trade Of Omaha? An example Of thes'
is the proposed diversion Of the Gun
nison into the U~ncompahgre river il
Colorado, the diversion of which woult
cost the government less than half tn
sum per acre Of the lands which coul'
be irrigated than either of the project
recommended by your club
81 have no doubt but Nebraska ha
many reservoir sites to which the win
ter food streams could be led, to b
utilized in irrigation. and ] know Of n
reason why these projects Shout
await the construction Of the project
you have mentioned, which would as
gregate a cost of over SO, 900, 900 eve
IL appropriations direct from the ns
tional treasury could be obtained fo
the work"
wanted for H. q Armv