The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-03
SENATORS ASSAIL
IRRIGATION PLAN
Hansbrough Wants High salaried
Chief Engineer; Garter, to
Set Up Bureau.
Rv w. w. Jermane.

Washington, Nov. Sit is under
stood that as soon as congress con-
venes, Senator Hansbrough Of North
Dakota will revive his plan Of having
placed in charge Of the irrigation
branch Of the interior department at
| high salary. He made movement
| Of this kind in the last congress, but
received little encouragement.
Senator Carter Of Montana also has
| designs upon the reclamation service.
He wants it taken away from the inte-
rior department. entirely and made a
separate bureau, without cabinet inter
| ference.
Apparently the reclamation service
It within reach Of political in1u-
ence as at present organized and man
aged, and while that fact may not in
fuence Senators Hansbrough and Car
/ ter in the hostile positions they have
taken, it has influenced other mem
bers Of the two houses, who will un-
plish some sort Of a reorganization that
will bring the service within the reach
of political "pull."
Conducted on Unit Basis.
j Meanwhile the reclamation service
is being conducted along the lines
whihc were mapped out by Chief En-
gineer Newell when the service was
established. The irrigation business OF
the government is considered by units.
An engineer Of admitted ability is
placed Immediately in charge Of each
project and held responsible for 1t.
Over him is board Of consulting en-
gineers, and they are called in when
ever the situation demands it.. Before
any project is begun, they consider It's
several phases, as disclosed by the pre-,
liminary estimates and surveys, and
express their Judgment regarding them
That this seems to be a good way to
manage great engineering undertakings
is evidenced by the fact that strong
sentiment is being developed in favor
I of having the Panama canal constructed
I in the same way. The job as whole
) is admittedly too big for one man OF
I set Of men to handle satisfactorily, as
I has been proven by the difficulties
5 far appointed to take charge Of it, anc
I their inability to agree as to the bes1
Z methods Of operation. By breaking thu
work up into small units, with a com
petent engineer in charge Of each, ant
with body Of consulting engineer
{ over the whole in an advisory capacity
5 it is said now that the best results will
5 be- attained. Should this policy b.
Z adopted, it will strengthen the reclama
8 ton service in its present form o
s. organization, and render futile the OF
I position of such men as Hansbrough an
81 Carter. = i, :
s Why Hausbrough Objects.
! Senator Hansbrough Is opposition
I based on the fact that the government
{ is not to spend in North Dakota any
} thing like the sum which that state ha
contributed to the irrigation fund.
{ An examination Of the situation i
) that state, however, compels the STATE
I ment that the conditions there do nc
( justify such an expenditure, The stat
= years last past, and it's farmers in til
4 tating about taxing themselves 'heavil
for Irrigation purposes. The first co..
would be between $15 and 500 an acr
and there would always be an annu'
tax Of 50 per acre for water. In 6. a.
dition to this, the farm holdings in til
irrigation section of the state averae
a great deal more than the 80 or Il
acres which the government is willin
to permit an owner to control in irr
gated acres. These farms at prese1
average more than section, and tn
&c represents years Of struggles 9
the part Of the owners. Quite NATURAL
they are not inclined to accept the go,
ernment's terms This is always tt
situation in the semi-arid regions, an
North Dakota is not unique in this Q,
perience. The government is not r
sponsible for it, however, and the r
c1amation officials claim that the
should not be held to account for 1t.
Senator Carter's Position. 4:
1 In Montana, on the other hand. tt
government has undertaken some to-
or five projects Of consid sizf
which in the aggregate will more tina
equal in cost the sum contributed +
/ that state to the irrigation fund. Sc
ator Carter, otwithstanding this fac
insists that sill another project shou
be undertaken, in the vicinity of Hell
ma. The reclamation service says tn
this Helena project is impracticabl
and would cost anywhere from 50 ,OOt
900 to $0,OOO,OO0. The engineering di
a ficulties to be- overcome are great, al
the project is not attractive in al
of it's features, as compared with tt
attractions offered by projects els
where. d.. ~,,..,..,.,. ~.
The fact that Montana, und
projects now in process Of constructio
Is receiving more than its share Of t.
irrigation fund, inclines the reclaim
ton officers to the opinion that t.
state should be satisfied with what
has. and acuuiesce in the policy Of e
tensiye Improvement in states viii
II have inviting projects and where pre-
tically nothing has thus Tar been dol