The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1903-03-04
ANOTHER MASS MEETING
BY INDIGNANT CITIZENS
The Blaine Irrigation Bill as Amended
by Legislative Committee Appears
More Vicious than Original Copy.


several of the leading citizens FRIDAY
afternoon in the Commercial club rooms
of this city in order to go over the pend
ing irrigation bill as amended, a copy OF
which had been forwarded to this place
by Robert Dunn, that the people might
either adopt or reject the same, and
whatever action might be taken the
delegation from this county would lend
their support accordingly. There were
large number of loyal citizens in at
tendance upon the meeting, and when
the bill had been reviewed the consensus
of opinion was that the few changes that
had been made were of such an insig-
nificant nature as to mean nothing or
else were considered more vicious than
the original bill itself.
The most noteworthy amendment in
the long document was in taking away
from the court the power to pass upon
applications of individuals or corpora
tions for storage rights and privileges,
and placing authority in the hands of
the state land commissioners, composed
of three men. This particular clause
brought forth deal of criticism and
unfavorable comment. After much dis.
cussion it was unanimously decided to
send the follwing resolution to Olympia:
Be it Resolved by the citizens of
Yakima county in mass meeting duly
Assem- bled that the Hon. A. J. Splawn,
the Hon. w. II. Hare and the Hon.
Robert Dunn, representatives from Yak
ina county to the legislature Of the
state of Washington, be and they are
hereby requested to use their best en-
deavors to defeat the bill now pending
in said legislature providing for the
storage of water in the lakes, rivers and
streams OF the state of Washington and
that they be and are hereby requested
to use all honorable means to prevent
and defeat any legislation at the present
session of the legislature of the state of
Washington, having for its object the
storage of the waters of this state by
private individuals or corporations. We
believe such legislation to be inimical to
the best interests of the state, and
would result only in placing the waters
of the state in the control of private
individuals and corporations to the great
detriment of the public good.
The above resolution was telegraphed
Representative Dunn Immediately upon
its adoption by the citizens, but hardly
had the telegrapher licked the last word
before message came announcing the
arrival of Mr.. Dunn on the night train
and calling for a mass meeting Satur
day afternoon. The matter was at once
taken in charge by committee, who
got out dodgers, distributed them
over the town, and all the farmers that
could be reached were requested to be
present at gathering to meet the Hon.
Robt. Dunn and discuss this question
of an irrigation bill, which has apparent
ly reused the people at last into united
action. They have just realized fact
which has always existed, and that is
that one man in the interest of one cor
poration has prepared bill to be passed
at this session of the legislature which,
should it become law, would practically
mean the control of the waters in the
Yakima river passing into the hands OF
the Washington Irrigation Company
through the instrumentality of +. +
Blaine. In other words, as aptly put
by Alex, Miller, "are the people of this
valley ready to support the plan of one
man, lawyer, who submits vast
scheme for the conservation of these
waters, when as matter of fact it is q
proposition that requires careful investi
CATION and the attention of men witt
wide experience in such enterprises"
The appointed time for the mass meet
ing was set at O'Clock in the afternoon
and by that hour there had convened al
the Commercial club rooms many of the
old pioneers from the neighborins
valleys, as we'll as Yakima residents, tC
listen to and discuss pro and con the
merits of the amended bill.
A. b. Weed was made chairman of the
assembage and II. Is. Scudder, sec.
rotary.
Representative Dunn was then called
upon, and in stating the reason why he
came over and desired the meeting, said
it was to get an expression from the
people of this valley as to how they
stood in regard to the matter. He said
that it would be a close, hard fight be-
tween the pro-bill and anti-bill factions
that many of the legislators thought the
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