The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1903-02-18
The Citizens Meeting Saturday Night
in Commercial Club Rooms Brought
Forth Forensic ElOquence.


nor was anyone con the fence" 1t was
simply a matter of "for' or against"
the latter element finally winning out
by score of 81 to 81. That is to say,
the irrigation bill as amended by the
committee appointed last Tuesday night
week for that purpose, and presented
Saturday night for endorsement or re-
lection, was numerically slaughtered
by vote of 81 to 81. There was
much bitter feeling eyinced at this meet
ing ant some of the best of friends re-
peatedly locked horns in combats calling
forth their keenest efforts in debate.
When the meeting was called to order
and the report of the committee read
endorsing the committee as amended by
them and urging the people to endorse
it. it was then that Vestal Snyder, who
appeared to be leading the opposition,
took the floor and very ably pointed out
some of the discrepancies and defects of
the bill. He was followed by equally
able colleagues who endeavored to show
how the passage of such a bill would
prove detrimental to the best interests
of the people in this valley.
Edward Whitson clearly explained
the amended sections of the bill, which
were as follows: THAT no person, firm,
or corporation can acquire more than
one reservoir site, either directly or in
directly, and further that before said
pers m, firm or corporation could erect a
reservoir the court must approve plans
and grant privilege. Another amend
ment was that only surplus water could
be impounded. In the face of these
liberal amendments the opposition stub
bornly contended that such legislation
would permit the control of the GOOD
given waters of the Yakima to slip into
the hands of monopoles and their main
argument was along this line. They
believe any matter of legislation should
hold over for a couple of years and per-
haps in the meantime the government
would see f1t to make the proper move.
i
delegation from this county at Olympia
be requested by the citizens meeting to
vote and work against the proposed bill.
This was the motion which let down the
supporters of the measure in 80 rough
shod manner
Among those who favored the bill and
spoke in its support were: Rev. II. NJ.
Bartlett, Ira z. Englehart, Edward
Whitson and +. f. Blaine, while on the
other side We're Nestal Snyder, Fred
Parker, r. X. Nichols, W. P. Guthrie
and others.
Below is an exhibit from Judge
Nichols speech, which plainly outlines
position of the opposition:
The rivers in their natural state are
appropriated many times over. We
must store water for the use of the can
ais now constructed and those in imme-
date contemplation for the valley of the
Yakima. Our only sources for storage
supply are the four great lakes at the
head of the Yakima and Natchez. Prof |
Newall and other experts are authority
for the statement that they, when filled
to their utmost practicable capacity,
will only supply enough, used with care
and economy, for the immediate valley
OF the Yakima river and that there will
DO none to spare for diversion to other
localities. Such being the case, | most
assuredly do not favor any measure
that proposes to divert this water from
these valleys to the great. dry, thirsty
plains of the Columbia. The Columbia
at White Bluffs will float battleship.
There is plenty of water for those arid
plains, but know of no reason, moral
or otherwise, why we should suffer our
own section of country to remain dry
and unproductive for the purpose of
irrigating that desert.
Neither do l think it good policy for
the farmers and small irrigators to per-
init the control of those great sources of
storage supply to pass into the hands of
spectators, or favor any legislative
action that renders such a result not
only probable but possible. | have and
do favor the control of those reservoirs
remaining in the hands of and under
the control Of the general government,
for purposes of storage and distribution
ratably and equitably to all, and have
always been led to believe that such
happy tsolution of our water problem
was possible. If this cannot be secured,