Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1904-08-31
NEWLANDs IRRIGATION BILL.
Some Stubborn Facts for Republicans
to Controvert.

credit of the Newlands Irrigation Bill
aminer. 1t says:
The Democratic State convention "1
California adopted the following plank
in its platform:
I'VE hartily endorse the NeWlands
irrigation act for the reclamation OF
the arid lands by Government AID.
This law was framed By Democrat
and became a law through the ener-
getic efforts of the Democrats IN Con-
gress. Under it's benificlent effects
California is designed to become
State of small but numerous holdings.
If inforced in the spirit that animated
the Democrats through whose efforts !
it was passed, this act will reclaim
vast tracts of the State for hCneSec<-
ers and the resultant small holdings
will not only contribute to the States
domestic deeiOpmcnt, but likewise op'
crate as a beneficial preventive of land
monopoly.
Whereupon the San Francisco
"Chront Gle" denCunces the Democratic
invention for attempting to give the
credit of this beneficial act to the
Democratic party and asserts that 1t
was passed by a Republican Congress
and if party responsibility was 20
be claimed the credit should only 90
to the party which had the power 10
enact legislation.
This would be So if, as a matter OF
fact. e Republican had framed the
measure and if It had been passed by
Republican votes. AS matter nf
fact the measure was framed by
Democrat. was endorsed by the Dem
ocratic Congressional Committee, ana
was passed in the House Of Represent
atives by a vote the majority of which
was Democratic and against the siren
uous opposition of the Republican
leaders Of the vote against the bill
three-fourths were Republican and
onefOurth Democratic.
The fact then remains that though
the Republicans were in pew er in th9
House, they did not pass the bill but
that the Democratic party furnished
it's active and vigorous supporters.
The "Chronicle' article also stat FL
that AL the safeguards of the people
were suggested by the President pa
ticularly that which limits the water
to be supplied to anyone in a guam
tity sufficient to irGigate $50 . rx
This is also untrue The original
Newlards Bill, introduced January
20. 1901, many months tecore Mr..
Roosevelt become President provided
that no water right Should be granite
to any land owner OR an occupant for
an amount exceeding eighty acres
This as afterwards enlarged to 16C
acres. All the provisions Of the bill
which guarded against land monopoly
were contained in the original bill Il
Mr.. Newlands before Mir. Roosevelt
became president.
Then the "ChrCnicle' insists thai
the measure only made headway whe,
forcibly brought to the front in Mr.
Roosavelts message to Congress- o.
The contrary, the fact is that the New
lands bill mad been thoroughly tough
out in the committee of the Senat
and of the House at the short ses
sions of the Fifty-siXth Congress BE-
fore Mr. Roosevelt became President
It's principles have been endorsed b
the Western Senators and Represe,
tatives, and Senator HansbOrOugh ha
been requested to introduce the New
lands bill in the Senate. Its prime
pies were approved by the committa
on public lands of the House and b
the committee on arid lands of til
House before Mr. Roosevelt Decam
President
1t did not come up for passage h
cause Congress adjourned on the At
day of March, 1901, the session bein
very short one, but it was accepte
as a solutiCn Of the entire questiO
When Mr. Roosevelt became Preside,
he simply endorsed the principles
the measure already framed and We
on it's way toward passage, and eve
after he endorsed it he was unable
persuade the leaders of his own par
to aid it. Assuming even that it W:
Roosevelt measure, he had to re
upon the Democrats Of tne House
pass it.
But it was not a Roosevelt measur
1t was the Newlands Bill, introduc
nearly year before. The bill int
duced in the Senate by Senator Har
borough was the Newlands bill, t
principles which were endorsed
President Roosevelt in his MESA
were in the Newlands BILL and t
,ol, he