The Arizona sentinel., 1904-10-26
Mark Smiths Speech.

Of his typical harangues at Elks
hall last Saturday, to the nttel
fatigue Of nearly all who heard
him. Nearly the whole Of his
speech was devoted to personal
utilization OF Mr.. Maxwell and
Mr.. Fowler. In one breath he
said that Mr.. Maxwell had nc
standing as an irrigatiCnist and
the next said that he. was draw,
ing a salary of $4,000 for his
services in the interest of gov
eminent irrigation. 1t is plain
why Mark Smith is SO bitter
against Maxwell, who is trying
to help elect Mr.. Fowler. 1t is
because Maxwells speeches are
convincing, earnest and intelli-
gent, and they are making votes
for the republican candidate, and
against the champion wind Jam
mer of the age.
Mr.. Smith tried to make cap
ital out of the statement that the
railroads were contributing and
had contributed large sums an
nually to the promotion of gov
eminent irrigation, but neglected
to explain that that was the
most natural thing in the world
for the railroads to do; that it
was legitimate, and purely a
business proposition. Why
should the railroads neglect an
opportunity to contribute to the
development-of the agricultural
and commercial reSurceS of ter
ritory through which they run?
Mark Smith claimed that Mr..
Maxwell nor Mr.. Fowler had
nothing whatever to do with the
enactment of the national irrlga-
ton law; that Maxwell, especial
ly, had no standing in Washing
ton. There is hardly a school
boy in the country but knows,
from reading, the tremendous
efforts required to change the
sentiment against such legisla-
ton in the eastern states. Mark
Smith, himself, certainly knows
that Maxwell's speeches in that
section were largely instru--
mental in changing that senti-
ment and making the passage of
such law possible. Mr.. Fow-
Ter, while not nationally so
prominent, has been the leading
citizen Of this territory in secur-
ing reclamation benefits. In all
negotiations relating to the ad-
ministration of the national irri-
CATION act In Arizona Mr.. Fowler
has been the tactful business
representative. Mr.. Fowler and
Mr.. Maxwell both were among
the organizers and builders of
the national irrigation associa-
ton, through whose energetic
work the law was secured. And
yet Mark Smith said in his
speech that 'this man Maxwell
has never raised a hand or voice
land [ am prepared to demon
strate it before I get through
in favor of irrigation; that they
never had any sympathy with it
from start to finish, but is a
purely trumped-up thing
He said this off hand but didn't
offer substantiating evidence.
In this connection he said of
Mr.. Fowler that she is in this
territory under false pretenses;
say he never was O. friend of |
irrigation, and I want it taken
down and sent to him, that he
never was an irrigationist."
Mr.. Smith continued in this
vein, saying nothing but what
everybody knows is untrue about
both Maxwell and Fowler, and
finally branching off on his state
hood hobby, he said:
81 appeal to statehood and not
politics. Not on your lifeD Do
not go away and say this is
;lap-trap scheme; don't forget
that the national administration
N its platform has not put IN a
word about it,"
Here he suddenly thought of
Maxwell again and burst forth
n wrath; "Why is he doing all
his? Because he is paid $50, 900
wear hu tho land .nrnnt ,n:l