The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-09-02

Continued from Page One.
Pennsylvania; Good. Iowa; smith.
Texas; Rainey, Illinois; Hitchcock,
Nebraska; Bartlett, Nevada; Thomas,
Kentuckey.
The question naturally arises why
so many eastern men on a COMMITTEES
whose business is essentially western
in character. Everyone familiar with
the history Of irrigation legislation
knows perfectly we'll that 1t was east
ern influence in congress that pre-
vented the passage OF the reelama-
tion act at a much earlier date, and
the only reason they did NOT defeat
the Newlands act was because of the
persistence and never say die spirit
that characterized the fight put up by
the west Otherwir the country
would still be treated with speeches
charging the west with an attempt to
foist socialistic theories OF govern
ment i'm the American body polite.
All Done for Purpose.
Just what object the speaker had in
mind in framing his irrigation COM
mittee is not yet apparent That he
had some object In view is not to be
doubted. Most western men sought
places on the irrigation committee and
the speaker was not obliged to ali IL
up with easterners. Nor was II mere
coincidence that tie majority of the
committee should b. eastern men, IL
was all done with some stupid purpose
In view and that purpose may not be
laid bare until congress gets down to
work again in December.
Chairman Reeder knows a good deal
about irrigation but he is not regard
ed as heavyweight In congress. The
same may be said OF Bartlett OF Ne
vada. Smith of Texas is regarded
as a strong man but he is a demo-
crat and a democrats In influence In
a republican congress is always OF a
negative quantity. Engelbright comes
from a widely irrigated district but he
is an avowed enemy of the reclama-
tion service and has introduced several
bills aimed at the disorganization OF
that branch OF the government serv-
ice.
Kinkaid and Hitchcock OF Nebraska
are reasonably well informed upon the
subject but as to others it is as for
eign as the ship subsidy is to a North
A Real Cannon "Joker.E
The notable thing about the new
committee is that such states as Ore
gon. Idaho, Utah, Colorado. Montana.
Washington and North Dakota and
other big states where much Irrigation
work OF a government nature is in
progress, have no representa- Ives on
the committee This leads to the con-
elusion that the speaker held a joker
up his sleeve when he formed this
committee. He certainly did not give
the west square deal
| With this situation confronting them
western delegations I'm congress viii
encounter unusual difficulties at the
4 coming session Of congress. Their
| fights instead of being shaped In COM
mittee will have to be made on the
floor of the house and against tre-
mendous odds. Numerically the west
Is particularly weak in the senate. If
this eastern irrigation committee gets
set on making undesirable changes I'm
the reclamation law and report bills OF
that character eastern men not on the
committee will be inclined to accept
the Judgment of their eastern coll
leagues on the committee and then
trouble will begin.
The appointment OF this peculiar
committee will entail unusual vigilance
on the part OF western senators and
congressman. II freak legislation is at
tempted by the house 1t will have to
be corrected by the senate; on the
other hand needed legislation may ex-
perience difticulty In getting by Speak
| er Cannon's committee on irrigation.
| All OF which viii tend TO delay ana
cause other embarrassments.