The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1902-06-21
PASSAGE OF THE
IRRIGATION BILL.
Special to the Reno Journal.


WASHINGTON, q. c., June 14.-The
fight in the House for irrigation was
spirited and Shafroth, Newlands and
Mondell, who led 1t, are receiving the
hearty congratulations Of their associates
upon the outcome. 1t was essentially q
Democratic and Western victory over the
House Republican leaders. Payne.
Grosvenor, Cannon, Dalzell, Hepburn,
Ray, Hemenway and others opposed it,
not only with their votes, but with
speeches bitter as gall.
Hepburn declared that the proposition
was the most insolent and impudent at
tempt at larceny that he had ever seen
embodied in legislative proposition.
Cannon expressed the belief that bad as
the bill was he thought 1t was only the
beginning and that in a year or two the
arid West would be demanding appropri-
alton direct from the Federal Treasury
to continue and extend the work.
Dalzell charged that the bill was SIM
ply an opening wedge to unlock the
doors Of the Treasury. Like Sibley at an
early day in the session he was greatly
alarmed lest the people of Pennsylvania
might be compelled to contribute a mite
toward developing the arid West, both
forgetting the untold millions that the
West has contributed for the enrichment
Of the Keystone State. Payne was dis
tressed at the thought of poverty stricken
New York being taxed for the develop
ment of the West. He coolly asserted
that the scheme would entail upon the
people of the United States a burden Of
$3.50. O.0O0, 900, and this in the face of the
fact that the bill limits the expenditure
by the Treasury to funds derived from
the public lands within the States and
Territories named in the bill.
These samples illustrate the spirit Of
the Republican opposition. With only
few exceptions the Republican votes in ia
vor Of the bill all come from the States
interested or from those adjacent east OF
Illinois.
The Republicans were almost solidly
opposed to the measure. While the
Democrats from all sections were nearly
a unit in favor Of it. There was scarcely
a man of prominence among the few
Democrats who opposed the bill. The
Democratic leaders were all heartily for
the bill. The rule under which it was
taken up only allowed two days for its
construction. This made the struggle
peculiar one for there was manifest pur-
pose on the part of the opposition to pro-
long the debate until after the usual
hour of adjournment on the second day,
and then have the bill fail for want OF
quorum. But the leading friends of the
measure were keenly on the alert.
Promptly closing the debate on each Sec
tion as it was read and bringing the bill
to final vote in good season with a quo
rum present.
In the House a few amendments were
made to the Senate bill which to-day
were accepted by the Senate and the bill
now goes to the President That the
measure is one Of vast importance to the
arid States is clearly proved by the char
acter Of the opposition to it, which was
based largely on the fear that it would
lead to agricultural development on
huge scale in those States and make them
dangerous competitors Of the older States
in farm products.
The placing OF this bill on the statute
books will make the future Of Nevada
more hopeful than it has been any time
since the great bonanza was exhausted.
H. F. BARTINE.