The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-15
WILL SETTLE
ARID LANDS
WITH HoMEBuILDERs AND PRE-
VENT SPECULATION.
POSITION OF PRESIDENT
Perseverance Of Western Members Of
Congress and Agitation Have
Brought Results.

NWE Mw.I owl .-F-
Washington, April 1O.-The irriga
ton bill reported to the house this
week by Congressman Mondell, rep
resenting the arid land committee
marks the beginning of a new epoch
in the history of the effort to secure
national aid for irrigation. In favor
of this bill are arrayed all of the
the public lands by the government
and there is no longer any friction
within the irrigation camp.
The bill as originally drawn by the
special committee of II selected by
the western representatives for that
purpose was an indefinite, loosely
worded measure which in truth did
not meet with the entire approval of
any one member of the committee
which put it forth. This bill went to
the senate and was there freely
amended, some of the worst features
being eliminated. AS amended the
bill passed the senate and was sent to
the house. In the meantime the house
committee had reported a bill which
was as bad as the bill which originally
appeared in the senate. This bill has
now been withdrawn by the house
ooror oitfo0 onH Tho conofa hill with
still further amendments has been
substituted therefor. The amendments
to the senate bill are favored by Pres
1dent Roosevelt and the National IT.
rigation association. Numerous con
ferences have been held at the white
house and in the committee o with
the result that a measure has been
evolved to which no one interested in
the subject finds serious objection.
The sole purpose of all the amend
ments proposed is to make the meas
ure a law to encourage BODYBUILDING
in the arid land states. When the
critical point was reached in congress
in the discussion of a possible irriga-
ton law President Roosevelt sent for
all the members interested and told
them plainly and emphatically what
his ideas were upon the subject, show
ing a comprehension of the issues
involved which amazed those with
whom he met in conference. His pc
sition was identical with that which
has been assumed by the National IT.
rigation' association. Mr.. George H.
Maxwell. chairman of the executive
committee of the association, has con-
tended from the time the special COM
mittee formulated its bill that the pro-
posed Measure did not meet the nee
e~ssities of the situation in that it did
not provide against the speculative
absorption of land and water, and that
interstate projects were impossible of
accomplishment under it's provisions.
Western members of congress
found that President Roosevelt had
taken the same position, not through
the dictation of any n person or in
terest, but through his familiarity with
to see a measure enacted into law
which would serve the purpose of
BODYBUILDING, for which it was alone
intended He plainly intimated that
no measure which did not conform to
these ideas would meet his approval.
The National Irrigation association,
through Mr.. Maxwell, took the same
position and with the administration
and association forces opposed to the
bill as reported there was absolutely
no hope of its being enacted into law.
There has been no serious objection
on the part of any member to the
amendments which are now presented
to congress. There has been differ
ence of opinion as to the necessity of
these amendments and further differ
ence of opinion as to the jurisdictions
which should be conferred, but all
these differences have been waived in
the general desire to see an irrigation
law upon the statute books at this
session of congress and as the bill now
stands it's chances for final enactment
are most excellent, in fact, never in
the history of the movement has the
of national irrigation been SO
near a victory.
It is not intended to allow it to be-
come a party measure. In the senate
the vote was practically unanimous in
favor of an irrigation bill. In the
house the bill is reported by a repub-
lican, Mr.. Mondell, although it is re-
garded by many as a democratic meas.