The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-08
From the Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,


Washington.
Washington, Dec. S.-The McCum-
ber bill providing that all money col
Iected from the sale of public lands in
Il certain state, and intended for irri-
cation purposes, shall be expended
within that state, will, if it comes into
prominence before either house OF
congress, result in something of a
breach between the two Dakotas. APP
parently, North Dakota wants it, for
it said SO at the Bismarck irrigation
congress, but South Dakota doesn't
want it, and her members will Op-
pose it.
George II. Maxwell, chairman Of
the executive committee of the ma
uonal irrigation association, when in
the twin cities recently, expressed
himself very strongly in favor of the
McCumber bill. and yet after his re-
turn to Washington he had long
talk with officials of the reclamation
service. during which he poked all
kinds of fun at the bill, and said that
1T ought never to become a law. 1t is
thus seen that MI. Maxwell in the
northwest, and Mr.. Maxwell in Wash
1ngton, are not necessarily one and
the same person, SO far as views re-
garding the merits Of the McCumber
bill are concerned.
The opposition Of South Dakota to
the bill is founded on the plans which
u,
tentatively, to eXpend upwards of a
million dollars, and eventually it may
be two or three times that amount on
irrigation works in that state. South
Dakota has contributed only $685.
&82.96 to the reclamation fund, or not
enough to complete the one project
outlined for Belle Fourche, to say
rothing of several others in the Black
Hills region which are nearly as at
tractiVe.
South Dakota Dissents.
Representative Martin of South Da-
kota, who comes from the Hills coun-
try, in discussing the McCumber bill
with the Journal representative to-
day, said:
When the irrigation bill was referred
to in the house committee on public
lands 1t did not contain any provision
looking to the expenditure of any speci-
fed sum in each of the states contributing
to the irrigation fund. AT that time
tried to have inserted in the bill a pro-
vision similar to that contained in the
McCumber bill, but found that it could
not be done. Later however, before the
bill was reported for passage, it was
amended to provide that once in
each decade the reclamation fund should
be balanced, with a view to keeping what
each state contributes to it in sight and
that If at the end Of the ten-year period
at least one-half Of the amount contrib
uted by particular state had not been
expended within that state for irrigation
works, the reclamation service should
forthwith take steps to secure such eX-
penditure.
This amendment was adopted by both
houses of congress, and is a part of the
irrigation law. It strikes compromise
ground between the bill as at first drafted
and the position held by Senator McCum-
Der, and to my mind is the best way of
GlSnOSjnp u1laStion q
present law, with that provision, Is en-
tirely satisfactory to the people of South
Dakota, and for one cannot support the
McCumber proposition.
There some danger that, without
the provision referred to, the reclamation
bureau might be carried away by the im-
portant irrigation projects in Arizona. and
other states and territories to the neglect
in whole or In part, of states like North
Dakota and Oregon, where the bulk OF
the irrigation fund has been raised. The
30 per cent provision, however, insures
that in each state contributing to the fund
at least that portion of the contribution
must be expended for irrigation purposes
during each decade.
Pro Bono Publico.
1t is said by officers Of the reclama.
tion service that North Dakota is prob.
ably the only state in the union which
would profit by the passage of the Nc.
Cumber bill. Even Oregon, which has
contributed most heavily to the irri
cation fund, $2,795, ,690.S9, would prob
ably oppose it, for the reclamation
service has under consideration fol
that state irrigation projects which, i
carried out, would exceed that sun
considerably. 1t might be though
that California, with it's contribution o
$1,287, 1895 to the irrigation fund
would favor the McCumber amend
ment, but it does not. California will
derive immense benefits from the worl
now being carried forward in Arizona
along the Salt river. Every merchan
who settles in that region will buy hi
goods from California jobbers, in ad
dition to which the entire Tonic bash
will be directly tributary to Californi;
and dependent upon it. California
interest in the Arizona project, there
fore, is very large.
What is true of Oregon and Cali
fornia Is said to be true Of PRACTICAL,
every state in the irrigation country
with the exception, already noted, o
North Dakota, and officials of tn
reclamation service doubt whether tn
McCumber bill would receive to ex
ceed two or three votes in the senat
from that quarter. In addition to this