The state herald., 1904-04-08
RAILROAD LOBBY
WORKS AGAINST DESERT LAND
LAW.

Fund Of $4,000 a Year Contributed
for What is Called lrrisa-
tion Education.
Washington, D. c., April 5.-George
H. Maxwell. a prominent official of the
National Irrigation Association was
before the House Committee on lrri-
cation yesterday. He made the ad-
mission that he was well paid by va
rious railroads for his services in look
Ing out for irrigation legislation in
Washington, receiving, in fact $4,000
a year from them He was asked If
his efforts to secure the repeal of the
public land laws were not really to
enable the railroads to find better
market for their lands, and replied that
this could only be inferred.
He made an argument to show that
the repeal of the land laws was neces-
sary for the well working of the ma
tional reclamation act, and said that
the railroads he represented were
only interested to the extent that they
believe in such agitation to develop
the West. The bill under considera-
tion by the committee was the Reeder
bill, which proposes TO amend the ma
tional irrigation act by repeating the
desert land laws.
Under rapid Questioning by the op-
poncnts of the repeal of the desert land
laws. Mr. Maxwell retailed the infor-
nation that the Great Northern, the
Northern Pacific. the Southern Pacific,
the Santa Fe the Union Pacific and the
Burlington railroads each contribute
$4,000 a year and the Rock Island 49,
600 year towards a fund to be used
by the National Irrigation Association,
and disbursed by Mr.. Maxwell in the in
terest Of that organization. Other con-
tributions to this fund bring the
amount up to $4,000 a year. This
money has been collected during the
past five years, and is still being paid.
|: was used in a campaign of education
10 secure the passage of the national
irrigation act
This information was the result Of an
assertion that the transcontinenta rail-
roads were endeavoring to secure the
repeal of the desert land laws to in
crease the value of their land holdings
and the land scrips which they are said
to own.
Mr., Maxwell replied that he was in
n position to know all the interests be-
hind such a movement, and the knew
OF no syndicate of land scrip holders
formed for the purpose of securing the
passage Oh the repeal bill.
within your knowledge" asked
Chairman Mondell. 'is 1t or is 1t not a
fact that the land grand railroads have
contributed to the support of the Ma
tional Irrigation Association, which
you represent. and to the maintenance
of journals which you print?"
THE transcontinental roads began
more than four years ago to contribute
to the funds of the National Irrigation
Association" replied Mr.. Maxwell, but
they have no direction of the policy.
and II they have liked our policy It is
simply because they believed II would
put population in the West But the
theory that they believed It was going
10 make their land more valuable is alb
solutely false"
Mr.. Mondell-Thc gentleman says
that they do support this movement for
the repeal. but not with view of in
creasing the value of their lands. OF
which they own a great many million
acres. and the value of their scrip, OF
which they own about 100000 acres.
In what way does he read the minds
Of these gentlemen TO know that?
Because | know what the national
organization has been from the start
TO this moment. and they never have
undertaken to shape the policy: they
have simply followed H." answered MIR.
Maxwell. Explaining further, he de-
clared that he did not believe the re-
peal of the desert land laws would en-
hance the value of land owned by the
railroads or the value OF the land scrip.
The repeal OF these laws had been n
part of the irrigation project from the
first. he said. but Il was thought better
TO postpone action In this direction un-
III after the irrigation act had been Sc
cured.
Representative Hitchcock brought
out the names of railroads and the
amounts each had contributed, The to-
tai contributed annually by railroads.
he said. was $4,000.
This money has been used for the
expenses Of the National Irrigation As
sociatlon," he said "and IL only part
of the fund that has been available for
the educational campaign for the last
five years and is still continuing |
think the fund amounts to $4,000 alto
gether" The exact position OF presi-
dent Roosevelt on the question at is
sue was controyerted, both sides quot
ing the President as favorable TO their
aims,