The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-10
WATER BILL
GAINS FRIENDS
Passage By the Senate May Give
II Prestige in the House.
PRESIDENT IN FAVOR OF IT
GAVE IT UNUSUAL SPACE IN
his MESSAGE.
PRESIDENT IN FAVOR OF IT
Lsnecial Correspondenoel

M Roosevelt, as was pIOIhisSu III
~ his message, has turned his at
tention to national irrigation legisla-
ton. The bill which passed the senate
Saturday is now in the hands Of the
arid lands committee in the house ana
while Mr.. Newlands is considered as
entitled TO the honor of reporting the
house BILL he has waived that PRIV
fega in favor of Mr. Monden Of Wyo-
ming hoping 10 gain some political
advantage for the measure by haNHlS /
If reported 10 the house by Repuo-
Hcan. The house viii undoubtedly pre-
fer to consider its own bill, when Is
Identical with the senate measure eN-
cent for an amendment providing thdI /
an least half Of the money derived from 1
the sale of the public land in each state |
and territory shall be expended LOT tle /
construction of irrigation works Wllhlu
that state or territory.
1t is believed that the bill Will gam
strength in the house through thlS
Amendment. though it is vigorously
/ oppOsed by some of the best friends OF
the irrigation movement. The commit
| tee is still divided over section o.
the bill. as it passed the senate, WhlCh
Drovides for state control of the dis
/ tribution of water, but all objections
have been waived for the purpose OF
getting the measure before the house
and it would undoubtedly remain II
/ the bill if any further contention prom
! ises to defeat final action by this con-
gress.
The passage of the bill by the senate
/ has brought about an optimistic frame
of mind among the friends if irrigation
/ in congress, and many who nave not
thought that the measure had show
now express the hope that they can
pull it through.
Henderson's Permission Received
Speaker. Henderson, in a conference
with some of the western members
few days ago, stated definitely that ne
would give the bill an opportunity on
the floor. This is looked upon as
great concession from the speaker, Tor
II is known that he opposes the general
principle of national aid to irrigation.
1t is not taken to mean, however, as
vet that he will lend mis- aid 10 the
final passage Of the bill. The recent
utterances of Secretary Shaw in favor
of national irrigation have encouraged
the western members, as It is from
Iowa that a great deal of the opposl-
ton to this proposed legislation mas
come. and it is believed this will have
considerable effect upon the Iowa dele
{ cation.
If a test vote was taken today on the
irrigation bill it would be defeated IN
the house in an estimated majority Of
possibly 80. The plan Of campaign out
lined BY the western members is r
u Of 10
: a month or six weeks to allow of con-
siderable missionary work being done
Each member of the committee will be
instructed to bring the matter to tbs
attention of eight or ten members Of
congress in such a way as to secure
I careful and possibly favorable consid
2 / GRAFTON in the endeavOr to overcome
existing opposition.
President Roosevelt devoted NOR
- space in his message to forestry ant
- irrigation than any other subjects. l
& is known that this interest is not per
functory He is not only friendly to tn
T. west through his intimate knOwledg
= of western conditions. but he is aliv
o to the political phase Of the situation
! ! wherein he is expected to champion al
western interests to maintain his hol'
- upon the admiration and support of tn
:, ton bill passed the senate the presi
: dent sent for the acknowledged expo
: nents Of that movement in the house
g Nessrs. Newlands and Mondell. and in
~ quired particularly into the situation
+ The impression was derived from thi
a interview that the president was read
to lend all the assistance within hi
7 power to furthering the progress Of
- national irrigation bill. Preside1
= Roosevelt is absolutely and unaltera bl
= opposed to the cession of arid lands
- the state or TO state control Of nations
= irrigation works, and he would uT
; doubtedly show an unfriendly attitud
- to measures carrying any such prov
Il sion.
Roosevelt May Aid It.
If he is satisfied, however. that a
irrigation bill can be passed with h
assistance, such bill providing entirel
- for a national enterprise. be viii VI
} dOubtedly give such assistance, # col
sistent with mis- position.
The opposition to the national iTrig,
es ton bill Will come in the form of a M
ed ton to substitute bill ceding the ar
1t, Iaads to the states. This motion, it
It understood, viii be made by Mr.. Cal
or noa, and viii receive considerable SUI
lie port including that of many friIlds
IN. the irrigation movement. It is fear,
IN by the men behind the irrigation b
Ct that If they vote against the state &c
S. sion idea that the state cessiOnis1
m carrying with them a number of vOt
10 which might otherwise be counted
for an irrigation measure, viii turn
and defeat the latter, thus leaving [
western men without any bill at q
1t has been suggested that it might
good DO itics for the western membe
ng TO support a state cessiOn bill, then
into conference with the senate, 81
80, stitute for the cessiOn bill the sena
~ irrigation bill and report the same ba
as the conference measure. There
-S'r so many member however. opposed
state cession that it is doubtful whei
or even this programme could be C;
- Tied out
JUI The enactment into a law of the
"a which has passed the senate VOL
des practically remove the matter Of 7
gu ti-naI aid 70 irrigation forever from
81 hands of congress. The amount
20 money which would be available 60
; ~ wear from the sale of public lal
ate would be between s., 900, 600 and $3.50
co., The bill proposes that the Ia
CIV, irrigated should be sold at such pr
- as to return to the reclamation ~
iol created by the sale Of these lands
of the. money. expended. hence afte
few years the fund would not deere
ST With the building Of irrigation va
buf would steadily increase with
increasing sale of land. COngT
20 would never be called upon again
make any appropriations for irrigau
tioo and members Of that body who I
,ra1 possess a limited understanding Of
orts far-TeaChing consequences Of the 2
inc posed law would begin TO realize [
sst- no river and harbor bill, however la
-bs+ was so important in results obtai
re- as this measure which is now ca
had the entering wedge.
NO It has been emphatically claimed
many congressman that there was
mower within the constitution for