The Sentinel=record., 1914-07-19

"iiihdllou OI the Item Will disclose, and l would not want to delay the
 bill and put ourselves to unusual trouble about thing that is so pat ent.
 MT. Burton. MT. President, I do not wish to take the responsibility. just for the sake of making an ex. animation myself, of postponing the disposition of this bill beyond today; but l really do not believe the con slderat'on of the bill will be con- cluded before adjournment. If it should be reached at a later time, probably should have had the oppor- tunity to examine it in the meau- time. l should like to have it passed over so that there will be an oppor- tunity to examine ''
 MT. Clarke of Arkansas. Mir. Presi- dent, an intimate knowledge of the locality involved here would have enabled the Senator from Ohio to come nearer redeeming his reputa- tion for accurate and definite state ment than he has been able to do by reason of the fact that he is not thus acquainted with the situation.
 This Hot Springs Reservation Is one of the national reservations of the national government. The city of Hot Springs is partly within the reservation and partly without.
 
 controversy. It is difficult of equit- able adjustment by reason of the fact that the property of the nation al government is not subject to tax ation. If all the property in the To- cality was in private ownership, this difficulty would be very readily dis posed of under the taxing power, un- der the power to create an improve ment district for the purpose of rem edying an obvious eyr Because the local authorities can not reach the government property by the pro cess of taxation, it becomes neces- sary to work out an equitable adjust ment through some plan of this kind.
 As the city of Hot Springs grows in importance a1d the curative prop critics of the water there become known throughout the world, people resort to it for a number of ailments which can not be successfully treat ed elsewhere, it becomes necessary to settle this vital question of drain age. Parts of the city have become uninhabitable at times by reason of the overflows therein from storm wa ters flowing down from the mountain sides, the property of the general government. This property of the United States is, of course, exempt from all forms of taxation. It has therefore become necessary to agi. tate this question for a number of years, with a view to the settlement by some form of joint action with the general government; to deter mine just exactly how much of the cost of Temedying this difficulty is to be attribuated to inability to tax the national property. It was also deemed important to find out how the cost of drainage system should be distributed-wha part should be done by the government and how much should be taken care of by the local authorities through the taxation of local property. Accordingly, thorough survey and estimate was directed by Congress, which was paid for in part by the city of Hot Springs and in part by the national govern ment.
 The board of engineers went down there and made a thorough examina- ton on the ground of the entire sur roundings, not only the physical sur rounding, but the political condition with reference to ownership and the right of taxation, and as result a report was made. It was found that it was proper for the national gov ernment to spend $237,0 ,000 for build ing a drainage system, which will be, when completed, partly upon govern ment property. The demand for an improvement in the drainage is made necessary largely by the use of the government property, for it is fact that about 20 bathhouses are in con stant operation in that city, the dis charge from which constitutes no small part of the flow that must be taken care of and carried to a point of safety. The indicated adjustment was an equitable one in the judgment of the Secretary of the Interior, and he recommended this appropriation.
 There will be lots of things for the city of Hot Springs to do after the United States shall do what they are required to do by the pending amend ment, as there have been lots of things done by that city heretofore. It is one of the most highly taxed communities in the world. 1t has a multitude of obligations resting on it by reason of the presence and character of the hot springs, which attract people there as to no other city in the world. The local com munity has expended hundreds of