The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-03-31
WAlLA WALLA SENATOR MAY
NOT GET IRRIGATION CON-
MITTEE GUARDIANSHIP
sired for the PIace-Warren Is
Not Candidate.

There is a good deal of interest re-
garding the membership of the senate
committee on irrigation and reclama-
ton of arid lands in the next congress,
and especially regarding the chair
manship of that committee, is the re-
port that comes from the national
capital. By logic of seniority in the
present committee, Senator Ankeny, of
Washington, will be the chairman, but
opposition to his appointment has al
ready appeared.
The senate committees, unlike those
in the house, are continuing bodies of
men; that is, they are not necessarily
recognized at the beginning of every
congress, which occurs once in two
years. 1t happens at the present time,
however, that only four republican
members of the old committee on irri-
cation will be in congress next winter.
These members, named in the order Of
their standing, are Warren of Wyom-
ing, Hansborough of North Carolina.
Ankeny of Washington, and Fulton of
Oregon. OF the republican members
Of the present committee Mr.. Bard of
California, failed of reelection to the
senate; Mr.. Stewart, of Nevada, has
voluntarily retired to public life; the
successor of Mr.. Deitrict, of Nebraska,
has already been elected, and Mr..
Kerns, of Utah, unwilling bows to
Mormon opposition and leaves the sem
ate to make way for a man more ac-
ceptable to the church.
OF the republican members left on
the committee, Mr.. Warren has al
ready made it known that he will ac-
cept the craftsmanship of the irrigation
committee under no conditions what
ever He is chairman of the comfor-
table committee on claims, and is the
ranking republican member on mill
tary affairs. Senator Hansborough
will not take the Craftsmanship for he
is already chairman of the committee
on public lands, and is unwilling to
abandon his work in that connection.
This brings the list down to Mr.. An
keny. He WILL of course, take the
craftsmanship, if he can get it, but
there is great opposition from influen-
tial quarters to his appointment. 1t
is claimed that a more active senator
is needed at the head of this commit
tee, the work of which is constantly
becoming more important to the great
west. The reclamation fund now foots
up something like $30,000,000 year,
and will be replenished from public
land sales about as fast as it is dis
bursed. The reclamation act is being
administered by vigorous, aggressive
young men, and enthusiastic coopera-
ton is needed from the committees of
congress in carrying out the great pro-
jects which the law contemplates. The
only other republican member OF the
committee is Senator Fulton, and he
stands at the foot of the list. Mr.. An
keny would certainly resent it if he
should be Jumped by Mr.. Fulton,
and the senate committee on commit
tees is hardly expected to offer such
an affront to the Washington senator.
When the reorganization of the COM
mittee is effected next fall or winter,
four new republicans will be appoint
ed to fill vacancies. 1t may turn out
that the committees will assign, among
these four, some senator whose selec-
ton as chairman would be acceptable
to all concerned.