The Washington herald., 1909-05-12
LAFE PENCE IN CITY
He Urges Reservoir Rights
for Oregon.
SENATOR BORAH IS PRAISED
After an Absence of Five Years,
Former Member of Congress Visits
VIII Make n Clean, Strong Admin
istration-Lauds Irrigation Project.

Former Representative ISsse Pence. who
was elected 10 the Flfty-third Congress
in the days Of free silver agitation. and
whose home is now IN Portland. Greg,
arrived in washington yesterday. after
an absence Of more than Eve years.
I am interested in reservoir rights on
TIE Owyhee River in Southeastern Ore
gon.'' he said. in response TO question
y ny he was in Washington. and I am
here 20 discuss with the Secretary OF the
Interior and the officers Of the Reclams-
ton Bureau some plans for the use Of
the reservoir in retaining lands in Ore
gon few miles from Boise. Idaho.
Impressed with City's Growth.
Mr.. Pence is stopping az the New VII
lard and exrects to be IN Washington FOR
several weeks. The first thing that i'm
pressed me when I arrived IN Washing
ton" said he. was the Union Station
Everybody knows Washington is city
Of magnificent distances but one is
made 20 realize Il fuUv the moment one
passes through Ehe gigantic new station.
Washington-s private structures. banks
apartment houses. and residences are now
built on a much grander scale than they
were when I was here years ago.
Asked about political affairs in the
West. Nr. Pence said: Where you hear
one man talking politics in the West now.
YOU hear 80 talking irrigation. The West
is very hopeful of Taft making clean.
strong administration Out IN my part
Of the country the Democrats look upon
Senators Nevlands and Chamberlain and
Gov Marshall. OF Indiana. as the coming
men The Republican interest IN the
West is centered on Borah. or Idaho. as
the coming man after Taft 7 am out %
the political game for good.
1T IS marvellous what irrigation IS do
ing fOr the Western country. Plans for
reclaiming S.0ot0do 20 10po.0oo acres are
now in progress and work has begun
OF nearly half that area. President
Roosevelt signed the Newlands act On
the anniversary II The battle Of Bunker
Hill- June l.. 1862 but when June =
rolls around in the West the people for
get Bunker Hin and talk about reclama-
ton
a tremendous tide Of immigration from
the East is fowl & into the northwestern
part Of the country. where the settlers
are given land at the price per acre thai
il costs the government 10 reclaim it
Mr- Pence was asked II lie had recently
heard anything more Of the silver issue.
which brought him 20 Congress. The
silver issue Is not only dead its mummy
I haven't heard or thought about Il for
ten years" ne added
BY merely burning smudge POTS IN
their orchards so as 10 prevent the frost
from injuriGg the blossoms OF their fruit
trees. the people Of the southwestern. sec
tion OF Colorado recently saved about
SS.ooo.ooo and in seventv-two hours made
more money than the entire annual pro-
duction o. silver in the State" continued
the visitor. with the evident Intent on
steering clear Of political discussion.
Nr. Pence n HOosier."
1Ir. Pence Is a "Hoosier. He was
born in Columbus. Ind. IN 1851 Taking
Up the legal profession he moved 10
Colorado in 1851. and interested himself
IN the political affairs Of his State he
was sent TO the legislature n less than
three years IN common with nearly all
Colorado Democrats he opposed the nomi-
nee and platform OF the Democratic con-
vention IN Chicago in 1892. and declared
for Gen. Weaver and the Omaha conver-
ton. In 1902 he was nominated By the
Populists and Silver Democrats and was
elected 70 the Fifty-third Congress.
Later he removed to New York and
then to Portland, Ores. He has amasSe5
a good fortune and is now an enthusias-
tic advocate Of extensive plans Of irriga-
ton.