, 1904-10-06

There was brought to the attention
of the committee for their considera-
two bills which had been intro
duced by Mr.. Mondell in the proceed
ing Congress, IA bill that had been in
troduced by Senator Hansbrough, one
by Newlands, and several others.
Senator Warren also presented his
suggestions in the form of a bill.
Tha Newlands and. Hansbrough bills
were practically identical. Mr.. Mon
dell's two bills had some features in
with them, as did all the var
ious other bills presented. The dis
tinctive features of all the measures
presented to that committee had been
before the congress for a considerable
length of time in one form or another.
The proposition to use the proceeds
of the sale Of the public lands had
been discussed for a number OF years.
1t was an dea borrowed from the
bills which provided for the funds for
the maintenance of agricultural col
leges and schools of mechanic arts.
No m knows who suggested it first
in connection with irrigation. Ger
tainly Mr.. Newlands did not.
The unofficial committee of seven
teen held seventeen meetings. Mr..
Mondell was the only member Of the
committee who was present at every
one of them. The committee finally
formulated "a bill which was intro iuc-
ed in the house and the senate. 1t
passed, the senate exactly as decided
upon by the committee of seventeen.
In the committee oh public lands in
the house the bill was amended in
several not particularly essential par
ticulars. MIR. Mondell reported the
bill to the house and had charge of
securing a day for its consideration
and of the bill during the debate. 1t
is true, that when it came to a vote in
the house "a good many democrats
voted for 1t as did also a number of
the republicans. Some of the bitter
est speeches made against it We're by
democrats. No one man can proper
ly claim credit for the bill as it be-
ci me a law, and no one except the
nervy gentleman, who by the grace of
his wife's millions, inherited from her
father, Sharon, the bonanza king, is
senator from the pocket borough Of
Nevada, has ever attempted to. This
is not the first time that Newlands
has attempted to get credit for the
n%ationol irrigation bill, and he evi-
IDENTIFY fooled the committee on reso-
lutions at the democratic convention
into believing that they could make
the claim for him and their party and
win out.
1t is a somewhat curious and inter
esting fact, by the way, that no old
line democrat, eve at any time had
exerted any influence of Importance
in connection with urging irrigation
Legislation. Major Powell, when he
was director of the geological survey
years ago, made "A good start, but pub
lie sentiment was not with him. Later
Senator Warren took up the work in
the senate, which vas followed by
the attempted amendments to the
river and harbor bill in the house,
and then by the formulation of the
irrigation bill as above outlined.
During all these efforts no old line
democrat was prominent or offered
any suggestions. In the senate. Sen
ator Dubois, eX-republican and silver
republican, helped in the formulation
of the irrigation bill. There was no
roll call taken on the bill in the SEN
ate. In the house the only men who
We're not straight out republicans who
rendered any important assistance
were silver republicans, who o call
themselves democrats, like Shafroth
and Newlands, and they acquired
their interest and took their first ac-
ton while they called themselves re
publicans. The senate, during the
entire time of the agitation was over
whelmingly republican. In the house
it was entirely within the power of
speaker and the committee on rules of
IA republican cangress to have pre-
vented consideration of the national
irrigation law, and it was Henderson,
The republican speaker, and the re-
publican COMM. tee on rules that
gave II special rule and "A date for the
consideration OF the bill a a time
when they were morally certain il
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