Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-01-25
AN EFFECTUAL APPEAL
HOUSE LEADERS WILL, no SOME
THING FOR IRRIGATION,
An Appropriation for an Experf-
mental Reclamation Plant
is Probable.

without consulting the members of Con
sress from the arid and semi-arid states
those who really determine the legislation
| hhaily enacted by Congress have practi
cally decided upon what shall be done tt
advance the national irrigation movement
| ihis decision bears no relation whatever tt
| the oeiiperat1ons of the committee of sew.
ehteen, one from each public land state and
| territory, appointed to draft general irri-
| satlon DILL That committee has framed a
| DILL out the measure does not meet the ap-
| prevail in all it's provisions of any one
| member of the committee which framed it,
| and under these circumstances does not
present itself as a forceful appeal to any
| interest.
speaker Henderson and the powerful CO.
terle of members Iwho have the final saw
IN what Congress Byhall or shall not do
practically ADMIT that something must be
zone Tor the scausesof national irrigation in
We" OF the popular demand and the promi-
nence given TO tho, matter in the message
Of the President and in the reports of cabi-
net officers ephcerned. To do something
aor irrigation does not mean to them. how
ever, the passing OF general bill carrying
large and continuing appropriations. and
forever committing the country to a GER
tam policy. It means rather definite an
preparation viii be made to carry out one or
land. which Will be looked upon as expert
ments in the; ,reclamatio of the public do
main by its owner, the national govern
ment.
-; ~ The Lacey Bill.
The arid and semi arid states have a rem
'resentation of thires-four in the House, or
less than 6ne-tenth of the total number.
AS stated by Mr. Mondel of Wyoming, the
western members have no guarantee of a
Unt rtSiI of Il,
when the critical moment arrives The ir
rlgation measure favored by the Speaker,
the bill which will pass, possibly with Gers
tam amendments enlarging its scope of OPP
erations II an irrigation law is enacted at
all. is known as the Lacey bill Mr. Lacey
of Iowa Is chairman of the public land
committee and an influential member of
Congress. His bill Is brief. and is a revival
OF the measure proposed in the Fifty-sixth
Congress, which provides:
That for the purpose of testing the prac-
ticability and expense Of national irriga ION
the Secretary of the Interior is hereby au
thorized and directed to select and desjg
nate for experimental work and dfsposal a
tract of not to exceed one million acres Of
arid public land suitable for irrigation sit
uated in part in two or more states. or in a
state and territory, or wholly in a terri
tory, and shall constitute the said tract a
national irrigation district
The bill carries an appropriation of 800
600. - 'Ao''
Such a bill will receive the votes of all
those VINO are willing to allow an appro-
prlat1on OF money from the national treas
ury for the irrigation of the public domain
1t relieves the more t:mid of the RESPONSE |
bility of committing the government to a !
new policy and it win be looked unon NV
tn" extreme advocates as only the first of a |
series Of such appropriations No member
Of Congress from the arid or semi-arid !
states, no matter how insincere his support |
Of previous irrigation measures NAV have
been, will dare, for political reasons. dis
sent from the passage of such a bill in de-
fault Of something more far-reachins In its
Effects
Such a measure as that proposed nv Mr.
Lacey can be put through the House If
made an administrative measure, and Il is
doubtful whether anything more
than is contemplated in the Lacey bin
IAN be accomplished, unless as is nossi-
Die, the bill be enlarged to admit Of the
of two or three enterprises in |
stead Of but one The irrigationists natur.
lilly have their greatest strength in the |
Senate, where each of the arid and semi
lriC states controls two members, or a TO-
al sufficient to constitute formidable mi
lcrity. 1t was this minority which made
% much trouble last winter and was par
iaily, II not entlreiy. responsible for the
lefeat Of the river and harbor bill.
The irrigation Senators would perhans not |
Re so willing to accept the bone flung tn
hem by the majority in the shape of one d
irrigation enterprise hut n
was made plainly evident that no other
I'LL could pass the House these same sena-
ors who are SO much concerned In secur-
ng an appropriation for the reclamation of
he public domain would be forced To con
ur for fear the session would come to an
nd without anything being accomplished.
The rather, Interesting situation has re- I
ulted that while The western members have
cen wranglipg over what shall be done for +
heir section 81, The country. the eas1a ,u
,embers, not particularly interested To- +
ally. have gone to- work quietly, practical a
decided what istto be done and are set
ng out to dc. II. II the Lacey bill or some +
milar measure. becomes law the west S
ILL owe 1T teb the east, and not at ali to n
he direct efforts es the western members' c
kcept in the general impression their eff, t
'rts have brought about to the effect that
Re people want the arid lands reclaimed F
nd that 1t would be good politics to make a
start at the business. IL