Arizona republican., 1905-06-08
A Fortunate Visit.

A zona of a number of distinguished United States senators and represen- tatives in congress, it is pertinent to notice the declaration made by Sena- tor Carter of Montana a few days ago that he would oppose hereafter any further expenditure of the reclamation fund in this territory.
 Senator Carter has aligned himself with Senator Hansbrough. Senator McCumber and others who are leading the movement to exclude Arizona from the benefits of the national irrigation law. It can not be doubted that a vigorous effort will be made in con- gress to enact the McCumber bill or a similar measure. and the reclama- tion service will be bitterly assailed because of the 'favoritism" which 1t is alleged to have shown Arizona. The advocates of the McCumber bill assert that, inasmuch as Arizona's contribu- tion to the reclamation fund is a pal try sum as compared with the millions derived from the sale of public lands in the northwestern and Pacific coast states, 1t is unjust to those states to expend the millions obtained there from in irrigation works in Arizona.
 It is fortunate, therefore, that this territory is now favored with a visit from the distinguished party which re- turns today from the Roosevelt dam. and that the party will be joined here by Senator Flint of California. These gentlemen are here for the express purpose of inspecting the projects of the Salt and Colorado rivers, and they are having an opportunity to see for themselves that the reclamation service has acted with unquestionable wisdom and fairness in arranging to expend a large proportion of the rec lamation fund in Arizona.
 The national irrigation law is na- tional in its scope It is for the bene- fit of the whole country and Is not sectional in its spirit. In all fairness Arizona would have been entitled to favorable consideration under any cir cumstances. and as it happened the people of the Salt River valley had been enterprising enough to be first in preparing themselves to receive the benefits of the new law. Had the gov- ernment refused to adopt the Tonto have been of no benefit to any other section in the arid country for no oth- CT section was prepared for immediate work Meanwhile. the reclamation fund has increased by leaps and bounds until the government has been able to formulate plans for res ervoirs in all the arid and Pacific states. It Is more than likely that the fund will continue to grow to such an extent as to enable the service to be- gin work at sites as fast as the engin- eering and other difficulties thereat can be overcoma.
 Taking the most narrow view of the question. therefore. no other part of the west has suffered in any degree from the fact that the Salt River val ley will shortly enjoy the ad- vantages of national irrigation. Under these circumstances it Is merely a dog-in- the e-manger spirit which would deny the government the liberty of completing unhampered the great res ervoir on the Salt river. Nor will the completion of the Yuma project mili- tate against the interests of the kick ing" sections.
 The visiting senators and represen- tatives are having an excellent oppor- tunity to learn the facts on the ground and they will undoubtedly take their places at Washington next winter as firm friends of Arizona and of the reclamation service