Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-12
EXPERT ON IRRIGATION BILL
George u. Msxwen Tells why Present
Compromise Measure should
BE Opposed.

At the meeting Of the executive commit
tee Of the Commercial club yesterday
George II. Maxwell, executive chairman Of
the National Irrigation association, spoke OF
the subject Of irrigation legislation pending
in congress, saying that the so-called com
promise bill should be defeated. He said
the time had come when the interests
throughout the country that wanted actual
settlement must assert themselves and put
an end to the persistent efforts being made
at Washington to shape irrigation legisla-
tion so as to leave the land open 10 specus
lative entry and promote land speculation
instead OF homestead settlement.
The general irrigation bill. proposed by
the committee Of western members, he an
nounced as fatally defective for three rea-
sons.
First-It makes no provision for reserving
homestead act, until after the contract for
the canal has been actually let, and IN
contract the land to be irrigated would all
be filed on by spectators under scrip and
desert land entries and no real settlement
Second-One OF the creates objections to
government irrigation works from the east
in private ownership would get the water
instead OF a large number Of small settlers.
This bill contains no proper sstesus ans
land owner shall get a water right for
more than 100 acres. but experience has
s sSSSea. h sTd f he xa shis r RFRt's SSsor SSSYp into to
large holdups through, dummy or nominal
subdivisors and subsequent reserve aerss
to the original owner atter the wafer rleht
Third-It had been reported in the press
that Representative B~hallenperBer was
lighting the bill because II did not protect
the right of Nebraska as to water which
the ~government might store IN Wy9minss
raised by Mr.. s~hsiienberser, it is quite
right because the bill did surrender the
under the bill to the states, and the govern
ment retained no control whatever OF water
in Interstate streams where the water
b& irrigated in another. Under such a bill
the state farthest up stream could take
| lands had been already reclaimed with 1t
in the lower state.
These defects, Mr.. Maxwell said, we're
not the My objections which were being
raised to the bill. There are influential
members Of the house OF representatives
who strongly oppose any general measure
which takes the whole control OF the sub
feet Of building irrigation works away from
congress and vests 1t In the secretary OF the
interior. Other congressman object because
they think the time is not ripe for general
legislation. They take the ground that the
government should first appropriate the
necessary money to build one or more spe-
cinc projects as object lessons and not
plan for future works without knowing
what they might be.
Al the situation is now in congress Mr..
Maxwell said the nill had no possible
chance to become a law and the quicker
It was condemned and thrown in the scrap
heap the better. He said no general bill
would be drawn which would unite the
west and we might as well recognize that
and stop wasting tins trying to unite It.
The presidents message, Mr.. Maxwell
said, and the annual report OF the secretary
OF the interior, form a platform that ever
real friend Of the national irrigation move
mel. should get on and stay on and wori
for exactly what they recommend.