The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-15
Bill in Congress for Govern
ment Irrigation Scheme.
Senator Thompson Would Can
eel Former Contracts.
CAMPBELL FEARS TARIFF BILL
Kansas Congressman Afraid of
Foreign Competition.
Factories Will Close Their
Doors, He Believes.

Washington, D. c., Sept. 15.-The
first bill passed by the senate after ii
had finished the consideration of the
tariff bill was the bill introduced by
Senator Thompson of kansas providing
relief for the farmers of Finney coun-
ty, whose lands were encountered by
the contracts entered into between the
government and the Finney County
Water Users association.
These contracts were made in 1905,
under the terms of which the govern
ment installed a 100000 pumping
plant at Deerfield, Kan, and agreed to
supply all necessary water to irrigate
10000 acres of land owned by farm
ers under the associations ditch, the
cost of construction and maintenance
becoming a lien upon the lands.
The pumping plant was operated
during 1908 and 1909, and it failed to
furnish an adequate supply of water
for irrigation. No effort has been
made to operate the plant for the last
four years.
The farmers contend that on account
of the failure of the government to
perform it's contractural obligations,
they should be released from the OBJ
legation assumed by them as owners
of the land and shareholders in the
association. They claim that the liens
created by this project are such
menace that they are unable to nego-
tate loans or to sell or dispose of their
lands; and that if the payment of this
encum is enforced. II WOuIu
mean absolute confiscation of their
lands and financial ruin.
The bill provides for the cancella-
ton of the contracts, and authorizes
the secretary of the interior to dispose
of the plant at its appraised value If
it is desired to do SO.
Congressman Phil p Campbell of
Kansas. in a speech on the floor of
the house, declared that it will be
1v,1r- # fiTan aft he IA
law is enacted that the business men
and wage earners will feel the effects
of it in this country He predicts
factories will lay off their men and
eventually be compelled to close their
doors on account of foreign competi-
ton. He said:
"You Democrats emphasize the fact
that the country is anxiously awaiting
the enactment of the Underwood bill
into Jaw. But you fail to state just
what country is anxious for the en-
actment of this bill into law. AS
matter of fact, manufacturers and
farmers and business men and wage
earners of every country in the world
but ours are anxious for the early en-
actment of this bill into law ,s--i
THE bill proposes to make it easy
for the producers in every country in
the world TO bring here the products
of their industries and dump them
into the market of the United States
the best market in the world. This
bill is for the benefit of Europeans
and of Asiatics and of the people who
inhabit the islands of the sea that are
not under the American flag.
Has anyone heard of an American
manufacturer who produces goods
that will meet foreign competition
who is contemplating an enlargement
OF his factory or an increase in the
number of his employees because of
the enactment of this bill into law =?
There are none Every laborer in this
country who labors in an industry that
produces COmDotitiVR nrn6nnfS will
suffer from competition with laborers
employed in other countries at a wage
much less than he is paid here.
THE gentleman from France to whom
I have referred candidly stated that
he had been in cotton mills in the Uni
ted States: that he had found the same
kind of machinery that he has in his
mills: that he found the same efficient
employees here that he has in his
mills. But he said. in this country
you pay from four to four and one
half times more wages to laborers upon
the same machines than I pay in my
factory. and therefore 1 shall have an
advantage in supplying the American ,
market with what it wants And he
is right about it, and that is why
your law viii injure our people and
help the people of other countries.
Il am not surprised, therefore, that
the countries outside of the United
States are anxious for the early enact
ment OF this bill into law, and 1 am
not surprised at the apathy and the
apprehension of American manufac-
turers. farmers, laborers. and business
men everywhere in this country
Mr. Speaker. / fear that our labor
ers will walk out of factories in which
they have been steadily employed at
an increasing wage for is years, and
that many of them will remain out of
employment during the time that this
law remains upon the statute books
You will do we'll to bear in mind that
behind every cheap product of labor
that is sold in the United States there
is cheap man getting a cheap wage;
and the American laborer will refuse
to lower himself to either the standard
of living or the standard of wages that
is given to his foreign competitor
whether he is employed in Europe or
in Asia"