El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-02-23
HOW BAILEY PUSHED
IRRIGATION BILL
IN SENATE
Amended 1t to Apply to the
Rio Grande Project
Only.

Washington. D. c., Feb. 23.-The ad-
visibility Of having a bill introduced
in both the house and the senate when
the time Of the session is getting short.
was we'll shown when the bill to amend
the irrigation act to allow a longer
lease Of the water power than ten
years, in this case SO years, introduced
in the senate by senator JOS w Bailey,
was unanimously reported from the
committee on irrigation with the
amendment that it apply to the Rio
Grande project only. Senator Bailey
presented the report from the COM
mittee, asked that the report be adopted
and the bill placed on it's passage.
Within minute and a half the presid-
ing officer was saying ordered to a
third reading, read the third time and
passed"
It went over TO the house and the
concurrence OF that body followed The
house bill introduced by Ralph Cole. Of
Ohio, failed to pass. entirely through
misunderstanding. but the end was
attained just as well by the passage OF
the bf1l which passed the senate.
It was a surprise to everyone that
the bill passed the senate when it did,
for the agreement when the irrigation
committee adjourned was that the re-
port on the bill should be adopted anu
the bill allowed to lie OF the ts386 10
be called up some day next week 70
was during the routine morning bust
ness. when committee reports, petitions,
memorials. etc, are usually presented
A number Of minor matters had been
presented, when senator Bailey sent
the report and the bill to the clerk and
asked that the one be adopted and the
other passed When the reading clerk
had almost completed the reading OF
the bill. senator Hepburn interrupted
with an inquiry. asking II this was the
bill with the so year leasing clause in
II. Because If it is I am going to OBJ
ject to it's being considered here" Sen
ator Bailey stated that the bill had
been amended so as TO apply 10 the Rio
Grande project only. "'Oh, that's all
right" replied senator Hepburn, and
subsidized. The clerk finished the read
ing Of the bill and IL was passed with
out dissenting vote Il was the only
bill passed during the morning bust
ness. as 1t is called. and when another
senator Immediately following the
adoption OF this bill gained the floor
and attempted to get a bill Of his
through in the same way. he met with
half dozen senators who objected to
considering any more bills at that par
ticular time.
1t is freely predicted that unqualified.
that is without making the bill apply
specifically to the Rio Grande valley. Il
could never have. been passed. IN the
committee senator Jones' OF Washing
ton, was opposed to IT as a general
measure and himself suggested that II
be limited to the Elephant Butte pro-
ject. and this was the only basis on
which a unanimous report could have
been received from the irrigation COM
mittee Had there been a minority
report from the irrigation committee.
and had a debate been provoked on the
floor OF the senate, because a so years
/ lease clause was to be found in the bill.
enough pyrotechnics would have been
set off about conservation. long term
leases. corporations, etc, to have de-
feated-the bill. although It is surround
ed seemingly by every safeguard that
could be asked, even were 1t not spectf-
fcally demanded by the situation in the
/ Rio Grande valley.
Pensions TO SOuthweSterners.
Pensions have been granted to per-
sons in the southwest as follows:
Mrs Sylvia A Sturges. Of Albuquer-
| que a reissue Of 20 a month from jan
| 81 1911
Jose Antonio Martin. Springer. N NJ.
increase to SIS a month from jan Fl.
1911
Robert Smith. Prescott ARK. origin
al pension, S12 month from Nov IS.
1910
Elias NJ Pegg. Of Phoenix. ARK.
original pension So month from Oct
%. 1910.
Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, of Duncan.
Ariz. original pension $12 a month
/ from Sept. 81. 1910.
| Robt E. Wherritt has been appointed
| postmaster at Clayton, y. NJ