The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-03-23
DRAINAGE PLANS.
DISCUSSED IN
COMMITTEE
Hansbrough and Gronna Piaee
Drainage B.!l in Favora
BILE Light.

Washington, March 2S.-At the re-
quest of members, Senator HansbrSuah
appeared before the house public lands
committee yesterday to explain his
drainage bill which is now before that
Eody. The senator expressed the view
that the question of national drainage
was an original question, quite as new
at this time as the question of national
irrigation was fifteen years ago, ana
predicted that when senator's and
members came to give the matter care
full consideration they would con-
clude that drainage was quite as i'm
portant as irrigation. He said that,
according to the best information he
could secure, there were from sixty
| tC eighty million acres of swamp and
| overf1owed lands in the United States;
that every acre of it was susceptible
of drainage, and when drained could be
cultivated with profit. He said that, in
his judgment, more acres OF land
| could be brought under cultivation un-
der the national irrigation law-not
that there was any limit to the land
| susceptible of irrigation but that there
| was limit to the water available for
that purpose. What his bill proposed
to do was to take water off of the
land, and he submitted that he could
| not discover any distinction between
the national government engaging in
drainage and its engaging in irriga-
tion. One was as beneficial to the
country as whole as the other.
His attention being called to the
fact that the object of passing the tr-
rigation law was to reclaim public
lands of the United States, he an
swered by saying that while that was
iu measure true, yet every one of The
irrigation projects thus far undertaken
by the government contained vast
tracts of land held in private owner
ship. and that the government made
no distinction between private and
public lands. In the case of the Red
river valley he frankly admitted that
there were no public lands to be
drained-that the lands were held in
private ownership-but that that fact
did not make the work OF drainage by
the general government any the less
desirable or any the less important
Being asked what specific constitu-
tional authority there was for the ma
tional government to engage in the
drainage of private lands, he answered
that there was none. The same ques-
ton had been raised when the national
irrigation law was passed, but COR
sress did not see fit at that time to
construe the constitution strictly.
He PSn1ainn6 tho nrnuiciorc NJ TIM
North Dakota drainage law and point
ed out the difficulties that had arisen
whenever an effort had been made to
put it in operation. What was needed
in the case of the Red river valley, in
bis opinion, was a strong supervising
hand that would not be swerved from
it's purpose by local obstacles. He said
it was true that the owners of lands
to be drained were amply able and
perfectly willing to pay for the work,
but that when, under state law, an
attempt was made to engage in drain
age conflicts of a serious local nature
invariably arose and nothing could be
accomplished. 1t was not so much a
question of financial assistance as 1t
was question involving direction Of
the work under qualified persons. The
agricultural department had a we'll Or
ganized drainage bureau composed. Of
efficient engineers who had already
made surveys of the greater part OF the
Red river valley in North Dakota and
were now at work upon the maps
showing where the bitches should be
constructed.
He said that the bill was drawn
along the lines of the irrigation Law
SO that the moneys would be returned
to the government and go back into
the irrigation fund. The bill was care
fully guarded so as to avoid any sug-
gestion of infringement by the national
government upon state authority. Un-
der the bill it would be necessary for
the state first to convince the president
that it had law under which the
benefits might be assessed, the moneys
collected and turned into the national
treasurey. He had no doubt that If the
agricultural department were directed
to do the work that it would be per
formed with view to accomplishing
great good In a comprehensive way,
that the bitches would be constructed
wherever drainage was necessary, 20
as to carry the water to the river ip
stead of carrying the waters Of one
county onto the lands lying in another
county. It was this danger, or the
far Of this danger, among other
things, that resulted in local disagree
ments and chickering's, which up to the
present time had put an end to sue
cessful operation under state law.
Congressman Gronna and Volstead,
who are members Of the committee,
supplemented the senator's STATE
ments by answering many questions
asked by other members Of the com
mittee. The purpose Of the hearine
was to bring the whole general sub
ject to the minds Of the members st
the house in way that would sery,
as a notice Of the intention Of thos.
who are interested in national drain
age to continue their efforts until re
lief was obtained. Senator'S and mem
hers from many parts Of the Unite,
States are examining the question witsi
great care. 1t Is one which they know
must be met and dealt with IN an Ii,
telligent way. No action was takef
| by the committee and II is more thas
likely that further hearinss win i,
had & M y I;sii ia;ssii