The Washington times., 1912-08-19
SOSHONE DAM.

committees. told her story to a few
members from the West-legislatoIs
who understand about irrigation prof.
ects-and awaited results. Six votes
represent the difference between sue
cess and failure OF a wonlan's single
handed effort against the President and
the Interior Department.
The Corbett tunnel Is three miles iu
length and twelve feet in diameter
and. in the language of Congressman
Mondell, lit pierCeS the great mesa Of
the ShOShone to let the waters of that
beautiful mountain stream out upon the
bench lands"
The tourist stands entranced before
the Shosnone dam, Just outside OF Cody
Wyoming. From base to parapet It
stands 3&E feet. AS picturesque as any
spot in State OF natural wonders, the
walls OF the gorge are nearly perpen-
dicular and rise nearly 2.0O feet above
the stream.
A vast VoluIRe OF water pours out Of
the mountain.' about two hundred feet
from The base of the gigantic dam.
This is the waste gate. or canal re-
or nooc, and caring for the waste of
the reservoir ten miles square lying
beyond the marvellous structure.
The dam controls the waters OF the
Shoshone and provides irrigation for
more than 100OO0 acres in the fertile
valley lands below.
Reason For Veto.
In vetoing the bill providing relief for
those who supplied time. materials. and
labor to the contractors for this struC-
ture the President said:
~ do this because | think this legis-
lation is of retroactive character and
imposes on certain of the reclamat ton
settlers an additional burden over and
done, increasing that price by double
payment of part OF what was due under
the contract from the reclamation fund
to the principal contractors"
And the Interior Department said:
The principles of the mechani s
lien laws have no application to the
pending bill. The Government has paid
more than the full amount of Its liabil-
ity under the contract and is suing the
contractor and bondsmen to recover the
excess. No definite and binding notice
Of the laborers and material men 5
claims was given or could be given TO
the Government. Therefore, the pass
age of the bill, or other bills like It,
all the disadvantages both of the con-
tract system and the direct construction
system without any of the compensating
advantages of either system.
Human Side of Case.
That is the technical side of the story.
In urging the House to override the
veto, Congressman Mann, the Republic
an floor leader. said:
"While the contractor was carrying
on the work he bought supplies and
issued pay checks to the laborers.
The pay checks have not been paid.
The supplies have not been paid for.
The Government has received the ben
eft of the work and the benefit OF
he supplies. l am not in favor
~ the Government taking supplies or
taking the labor of lahoring men and
giving no chance for the payment of
those bills. The Government ought
to secure the laborer of his hire, for
the laborer is worthy OF his hire.
I'm this case, as this work has
been done, for the purpose OF carry
ing out the irrigatiGn project oo,,1Gi and
the land on the project will receive
the benefit of the labor which is un--
paid, and the supplies unpaid for,
| think they are the ones who ought
| TO pay. and the pending bill only
permits the claimants to intervene