Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-07-15
POLITICS TO CUT NO FIGURE
Distribution of Funds for Irrigation to Be
Made on Just Basis.
NEBRASKA TO HAVE CONSIDERATION
Secretary Shaw VIII Take Up Ques-
tiOn of Public Building sites In
Iowa on HIS Return from
His Vacation.
CFrom a stan correspondent.)

WASHINGTON, July 14.-(Special Tele-
gram )-Secretary Hitchcock said that there
was to be no politics in the distribution of
the fund available for the irrigation and
reclamation Of arid land in the semi-arid
states as contemplated in the irrigation
bill which passed congress shortly before
its adjournment. According to figures
which have prepared" said the secretary,
there are nearly s5,000,O00 available, but
1t is not the purpose OF the interior de-
partment to proceed to divide this money
amongst the sixteen arid and semi-arid
states and territories until we know just
exactly where the division will do the most
good. We have set apart S165, 900 out Of the
total which have found available for the
purpose of preliminary surveys and 1t will
be the business Of the interior depart
ment to ascertain where the provisions OF
| the bill contemplating the irrigation Of the
! arid and semi arid west are most likely to
be worked out. There has been widespread
reports in circulation that Superintendent
| Newell OF the photography division Of the
| geological survey has stated that 1t would
take 200 years to irrigate the number of
acres OF land which the champion of the
| irrigation bill stated could be irrigated In
| the west should the bill become a law.
| do not believe that MIR. Newell ever made
| SUCH u statement, bdlu Jn6 SECRETARY, anu
am confident that with the wisest admin
istration Of the ofnce we might do WON
ders for the west. The states most in need
of money for irrigation will get the largest
proportion OF the sum available. Every
state will have its proportion according to
its needs 1t may be found that some Of
the states included in the arid and semi
arid belt will be found impossible of ir-
rigation along the lines OF the bill, in which
event the states suspectible of irrigation
along natures lines will be helped accord
ingly.
II look upon the irrigation problem as
one OF the greatest the interior department
has had to deal with In a generation and
we shall proceed slowly and carefully that
the benefits OF the bill may be felt alike
amongst the states which directly are to
receive the most benefit from the bill as it
passed congress"
| Nebraska Gets n Fair show.
Asked II Nebraska would get its due pro-
portion of the fund available for irrlga-
ton, Secretary Hitchcock stated that he
saw no reason why Nebraska should not
share relatively well as the rest of the
states. He said Of course physical condi-
tions might operate against the state and
that II might be found as a result OF sur
| NtyS WHICH are TO De ulHQo IQdJ IL Qlu not
have such natural advantages for storing
of water as other states, but he said Me-
braska could rest assured Of having as fair
treatment as any OF the other states and
territories included In the arid and semi
arid belt.
The selection of sites for new public
buildings in Iowa will in all probability be
left with the secretary OF the treasury in
conformity with precedence. Acting Super
vising Architect Kemper stated today that
Secretary Shaw, being an Iowa man, would
undoubtedly send some one of the treasury
force to that state for the purpose of look
ing over several bids offered for sites at
Waterloo, Muscatine, Marshalltown. Iowa
City and Boone, which were opened last
Friday and which are still unscheduled in
the supervising architects ofice.
Just as soon as the secretary returns
from his trip to New Hampshire, where he
went to locate his family" said Judge
Kemper, "he will be given a list of bids
for sites in various cities named and called
upon to determine the fitness Of several 10.
cations offered for public buildings. Usu-
ally" continued Mr.. Kemper at is the Gus.
tom of the supervising architects office Il
inspect sites, but in this case the secretary
of right, will be asked to pass upon The
sites offered. Marshalltown is in the mar.
ket with nineteen bids ranging from $4, ,0Ot
to $4,000. all of them being within the
required space, 140x160 feet. The sundr,
civil appropriation bill carries direct ap
, preparation Of $4,000 for purchase of
site and the commencement OF the build
, Ing, $4,000 having been appropriated in tn,
omnibus public building bill for both sit
and building complete. 1t is expected tha
Secretary Shaw will take up the subject o
eita 5got
his return.
The postmaster general has allowed tn
: postmasters at Grinnell. Ia, and Cheyenne
Wyo., one additional letter carrier, to TAX
effect September 1.
The postofice at Palsville, Wright county
Ia, has been ordered discontinued.
Edward e. Fleming, Mason City, Ia, ha
been appointed a railway mail clerk.
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