The San Francisco call., 1904-12-22
FEDERAL IRRIGATION.

for Mr. Maxwell largely in evidence in attack Senator
tansbough OF North Dakota one OF the authors ana promo
capacity has mcoaized Congress in general attack the
Senator and belabors him with the fervor he used in attack
ing Modesto Turloc districts this State prevent their
completion OF OF the finest irrigation plants the world which
fertizing quarter OF a million acres of land
The Federal irrigation fund about $3ooooooo
hoped will come considered companion
pork barrel TO the and harbor bill 1t growing at the rate
of SOOoOOo year by the sales OF the public land Mr. Maxwell has
ed hard stop this by lobbying for repeal of existing
land laws under which alone does the irrigation fund additions
volume Senator Hansbrough favor not only the
enlargement of the fund but its conservation by putting its
pndue under proper ofcla and professional 40
This he has proposed that supervising engineer be appointed by
the President who under direction of the Interior Department shall
have general supervision and direction OF the engineering work re-
present assigned empoye the Geological
Survey who has neither the time for the work the compensation
Justify his giving the needs It easy foresee
that under such circumstances the fund will begin spring leaks
The Government has military in chief who has super
vision Of the large expenditures made under the engineer OF
the army That system deposits authority and responsibility in
The authority ample the responsibility requires and
the effect protect the public funds 1t is doubtful authority
and responsibility be found hand hand anywhere in the
administration of the Federal irrigation law Each work IN
progress quite independent of relation to other
ubaltem of subordinate of the Interior Department
complexities and implying such ultimate risks to
uy before left spshod respect oversight and
eactnss in administration Government of necessity does
limos ef1 and therefore there are safeq,ards audts coun
ergns and all of rifles established by law catch things
they flow the minimum the inevitable To
that this upendous experiment expenditure of
" under the normal conditions of Government waste with
the safeguards proved necessary by experience IS to utter folly
of the fathead brand.
1t disturb the of
engineers cancel existing contracts
check the progress of work under But it is
proposed the direction of supervising engineer
the highest qualifications equal those of the chief engineer of
The army whose office and under whose plan made
expended of dirt moved and drop of
mpounded shall be focused
Those who occupy the lands irrigated and pay back the
expenditures of the Government have rights in the matter and the
stake already known that the of works under
viii be every irrigated That has be paid back by
the who the land When it known that the
Of the irrigation plant in the Modesto and Turoc districts
the OF the land holder looms largely The
Modesto and Tuock plant Government enterprise and
together construction. One
easily that would be blessing the future landhoders in
irrigation districts the burden per could be
going any crafty his agricultural heart
by farming the farmers but it does make great difference
filler OF the soil whether the Government his land is
He has take the risk of frost
weather equip his land with buildings and implements sup
his family and off mortgage of $40 limited
Farmers read this who have undertaken such jobs and they
recollection Senator Hansbrough be
used of entertaining the magn of making the
light possible Whereupon the National Irrigation Association
incensed and calls names and is afraid
That corporeal FORM which preceded its
Dorate abaone pecedes its SHE'LL undertook for
salary $4,000 year paid by get
preparations for irrigation direct from the When Senator
ansbOug proposed derive the fund from the sale Of the public
land the corporea part of the association fought it. Finding it
would pass the abaone acquired its shell by Incorporation which
claimed all plans for irrigation There
suspicion that desires stop ccreons the irrigation fund
bungsarter what already in the barrel
make good its direct appropriations We shall
HOW PITSSTA