The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-08-19
WANT FIVE BILLIONS
IRRIGATION CONGRESS IN WEST
SEEKS $1,000 100000 FOR
AID OF CAUSE.
IS CONSIDERED AMPLE FUND
Effort Also Made to Condemn Use Of
Birds on Women's Hats Because
Feathery Kingdom Wages War on
Savage Insects.

Spokane, Wash, Aug 12.-Dele-
gates to the national irrigation con.
gress set about to relieve the arid
land situation to-day when resolutions
beginning with a request for ample
funds" and ending with a resolution
asking for a fund of $4,000, 900 900
were introduced The resolution ask
ing for a national three per cent bond
issue of s., 200. .000.000 was introduced
by the secretary of the board of con-
troll, Arthur Hooler of Spokane.
How Fund Will Be Used.
1t is proposed to use this fund in
five portions, as follows:
One billion for drainage, one billion
for irrigation; one billion for deep
waterways; one billion for good roads
and one billion for forest preserva-
tion.
II was asked that a committee pre-
sent the request to congress.
A resolution also was introduced
planning that where settlers of arid
lands have been deprived of the right
to reclaim their lands by the action
Of the reclamation service in cutting
OF water rights such settlers may
gain the right to their lands by the
reclamation of one acre in their tracts
by means of a well.
8aIlinger Is Heard.
Secretary of the Interior r. A. Bal
linger delivered the principal address
of the day, picturing the vast riches
that had been gained by government
irrigation.
Secretary Ballinger said In part:
"While the government has invested
over $50,000,0 900 in irrigation works,
many times that amount has been in
vested since the passage of the recla-
nation act by private enterprise. Any
one who has visited one or more of
the reclamation projects now in OPP
Grafton, and sees on the one hand the
desert covered with sage brush and
barrenness, and on the other the wa.
ter flowing over the fertile soil, pro
ducing heavy crops or orchards OF
fruit, appreciates to the fullest ex-
tent the benefits of irrigation
"The people of the west, therefore,
who are familiar with these wVnderful
results in irrigation, are highly appre-
ciative of the importance Of the recla'
nation service, but the great difficulty
which the service encounters is in fin
ishing the projects now undertaken as
against the clamor for diversion Of
the funds to new fields.
Rush to Defense Of 5alIinger.
John Wilson, former United States
senator from Washington and John
Farson, millionaire banker of Chicago,
defended Secretary Ballinger and sue
ceeded in keeping the so-called BAL
niger. Pinchot feud" in the public eye.
Former Gov George C. Pardee of
California started the controversy by
questioning a statement by speaker.
He again accused Secretary Ballinger
of permitting the opening for entry Of
valuable water power sites.
This brought Mr.. Farson to his feet
asking DR.. Pardee If he meant to in
sinuate that the secretary was dishon
est With DR.. Pardee's reply that he
meant no such accusation, the Incl
dent was dropped.
w. w. Ferrell of Ferrell, Idaho, at
tackled the Washington Power Com
pany, which supplies power to Spo
kane, and brought reply from former
Senator Wilson.
"There may be those who do wrong
in this land" said Mr.. Wilson. "Thert
may be water power companies tha
disobey the law, but l want to say
here that | stand for Richard A. Bal
} linger and shall hear no man sa,
that he is dishonest II 1t is necessary
am here to defend Ballinger's supe
rior-President Taft. What they hav'
done they have done under the law.