Arizona republican., 1902-05-20
The Prospect Of Passing the
 Pending Bill
He Desires That Politics Shall Net Figure in It Growing Eastern Sentiment in Favor of q Western Empire.

has been reported to the house with certain amendments. The president has asked a number of members If congress as to the prospects for the l early Considera tion of the measure nd i has indicated his earnest desire that tra bill should become 8 law at 1his session Of congress.
 A thorough poll is being made Of the house by friends of this irrigation measure and enough is known Of the results Of this poll to warrant the state ment that there is q considerable ma iority in favor of the bill. Speaker | Henderson and the committee Cn rules have agreed that the bill shall be given ] full and fair consideration on the floor 1 O. the house at this session and it is though that it may como up for dis Cussion on CT about May 30 The bill as amended by the house committee is satisfactory to the president and to all the irrigation forces, and t is taken for granted that if it passes the house and ] aocs to conference that the senate will accept ne house amendments and enact 1 the bill as drawn by the house commit tee.
 The situation in the house in regard to this measure is peculiar and politics 2r einvolved to q considerable extent. Unfortunately for the cause of irriga- ! ton nearly all of the so called leaders on the republican side. men like Rep resente tives Payne of New York, Groc- velor, Daizell and Cannon, are opposed tc the bill. while the rank and file Of ! the house. both democratic and repub- lican. is in favor of it. Some of the republicans with keen realization Of the importance Of this measure. as il will affect the congressional campaign in many of the western states, believe that their so called leaders have made a mistake in not pushing this ITriGa tiCn Bill as a distinctly adm inistl alton | and republican measure and enacting it as such. These same men believe that the bill will pass the house in spite cf the oppositicn Gf some cf the renubli- can leaders. and that the dem0cr-t@ will then be able to claim credit for the enactment of the law.
 i President Roosevelt does not consider party lines of ary imuortance Fl secur- ing what he believes to be much need ed legislation in this direction and the demccrats aware Of the opposition Of some cc the republicans. are quietly preparing to take the credit which the republicans who favor irrigation think
 
 The poll Of the house which has been taken to ascertain the position Of tn > different members toward this bji slcWs that not more than twenty CT thirty Of the entire democratic side are . opposed to it and that he principal or
 rosticn lies with the republican lead. CTS. At the same time strong support for the bill comes from republican sources and with this support is allie6 the entire approval cf the president and his cabinet officers.
 1t was believed by those interested in securing an irrigation law which would be entirely homemakers' bill, that the measure as il passed the senate tontained several lco2holcs through
 which spectators could have taken ad- vantage of what was intended for the sole benefit cf settlers. who would re- side upon their claims for five years
 before expecting to secure title. The changes made by the house irrigatio
 committee in the senate bill are slight
 in the matter Of wording but extra
 ordinarily important in their effect up on the meaning and intent Cf the
 measure.
 The bill as it is now before the house
 is, in brief, a new homestead law made
 applicable to the arid lands. It simply
 provides that the United States govern
 ment should create new rivers through
 the building Of reservoirs and main
 line canals, and should 50 regulate the flow Of streams already in existence that their contents would ba available
 for irrigation during 9 season ot
 drouth. Only those are to be permit
 ted to secure land under this newly
 created water supply who are in truth and ii intent home builders, and appra-
 priations of land are to be restricted
 tc the homestead law modified and severely guarded in it's purpose by the operation of this special act. These
 settlers are not Galy tc reside upon
 their land. but are to return to the government in course of time, by a
 series of deferred payments the entire cost Of creating the supply Of water , which is to be made available.
 There has been remarkabl Sr0wtr
 of sentiment ir congress in favor oi such an irrigation measure. Many members who were utterly indifferent have become interested. and those whC have locked into the matter are on the
 list oe those from when q favora bIr . vote is expected q is asserted, and
 names are given, that if the occasion
 presented itself a speech in favor oi this bill could be secured from soms congressman fro" every state in the union from Maine to California and from Florida to Washington. Some oi the New England delegation are its
 most enthusiastic advocates, taking the broad view that what benefits tn , country in part benefits it as a whole These men realize th2t New Ensiand , would not amount to much without th' middle states. that the middle state would not have achieved their Dresen
 greatness without the development O the central states. and that the com merce and industry Of tie centra states is almost entirely dependent up 1 nr, inc new growth and deXelopment o