The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-10-22
Senator Newlands of Nevada
Proposes a Conference of
Western Congressman on
the Waterway Question.
ADVOCATES CREATION
OF A FUND OF $5O,0OO,OO0
Arid and Semi-Arid States to
Share in the Appropriation to
the Extent of 100000
Annually for Irrigation.
TEXT OF LETTER SENT OUT

Reno. New. Oct. Ex-senator Newlands
has addressed a letter to the senators
from the arid and semi-arid states calling
their attention to the waterway move
ment for the development Of naviga ton,
which is 10 be emphasized by the pres
ence Of the president of the deep water
way convention at New Orleans. Oct. 80.
and to the Importance Of the senators
and representatives from the arid and
Semt-arid states comforting together In the
interest of their region. He calls atten-
ton to the Importance Of comprehensive
plans that viii cover cOntempOraneOus
development of the rivers I'm every sec
ton of the country, and particularly In
the arid region, where the storage OF
flood waters can be made useful both
for irrigation and navigation I'm the main
tenance of a steadter stream flow.
He urges the creation of a waterway
fund of S5000000 annually and shows
that of this amount the headwaters OF
should receive about 100000 annually,
which, IN addition to the reclamation
fund, viii take care of unfinished as well
as contemplated irrigation projects.
This movement cOntempates a confer
enCe of senators and representatives from
about fifteen states west Of the Missouri
at the beginning of the next session Of
congress- with ii view TO making the arid
region a factor in waterway development.
The letter is as follows,
The Senator's Letter.
Reno. New, Oct. 4.-My Dear Senators:
The waterway question viii come up for
discussion during the next session and
venture TO make a few suggestions as
to the course to be pursued by the sena-
tors from the arid and semi-srid states
in the interest of their region.
I'm the first place we have from these
states nearly One-thiTd Of the entire sem
ate, and we have the power, If we act
unitedly. to so shape action as to benefit
the region We represent whilst aiding IN
the great movement for a scientific and
businessIike solution of the water trans
portation question which is now so much
discussed in the Mississippi valley and on
the Atlantic coast.
I'm the second place we have been
trained by actual experience in irriga-
ton legislation to take hold of the bust
ness side of this question. which involves
such an expert and business organiza-
ton Of the waterway service as viii en-
sure comprehensive plans, wise selection
of projects that will dovetail into each
other as parts OF "A comprehensive whole.
the union and coordination Of the sci
entific services Of the government related
to water in such a manner as to unite
their experience and knowledge in some
effective way; an ample fund that will
insure continuous work, and such CO
operation of the nation with states, cor
pOratf0ns and individuals as will insure
the full exercise of all their power and
the enforcement Of all their respective
rights in the development Of our rivers
and our streams. not only Tor naFlga-
ton, but for every incidental and aux
Hilary use to which civilization can put
them, such as the irrigation OF arid
lands the drainage Of swamp lands, the
conservation Of forests, the prevention OF
soil waste and the development OF water
power.
I'VE shaped the reclamation act on these
lines and I think it is safe to say that
it was the first piece or constructive
legislation in the history Of the country
that was free from the evils or the spOilS
system. such as has prevailed for years
I'm legislation relating to rivers and mar
bOrs and public buildings.
"Our immediate interest attaches not
only TO the rivers whose waters ultt-
mateIv flow into the gulf or the Pacific
ocean; but the region controlled by these
waterways includes tWO-tnirds or the en-
tire area of the country All the PaclTlo
coast rivers have their sources In the
mountain region of the west; and the
large tributaries Of the Mississippi, name
w. the Missouri Including its trlbutaries),
the Platte, the Arkansas and the Red
have their sources in the Rocky Noun
tain region.
Storage of Waters.
Irrigation of arid lands is one OF the
great uses TO which these waters OF the
Pacific coast and Rocky Mountain region
are applied. The reclamation fund is not
sufficient to push the reclamation work
with the speed that is desired. and IT IS
important that i'm the formation Of the
new waterway fund the storage Of water
upon and the irrigation of arid land ad-
jacent to the rivers in the arid and semi
arid regions, which are tributary 20 nav
igable streams should be entered upon as
an essential part of the development OF
these streams for purposes Of navigation,
and that the work upon these headwaters
Continued on Page 2.