The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-06-25
Washington
Correspondence

much better by Congress than are
many Of the white settlers under some
of the government irrigation pro-
jects. This was Senator Brady's re-
ply to a number of eastern senators
who had made hysterical speeches
during the consideration of the In
dian appropriation bill, and had charg.
ed that most of the legislation for
the irrigation of Indian lands was
actually for the benefit CT white set
tiers. 1t had also been charged that
the Indians were being robbed by
white men of their lands and OF their
water rights. Senator Brady went on
to show how we'll the government has
cared for and protected the Indians
Of Idaho, but he argued that Congress
should be willing to show as much
consideration for the white man as
for the Indian, and he urged that
prompt attention be given to pending
legislation designed to relieve the
burden that is imposed upon settlers,
both on and off government irriga-
ton projects. Continuing, Senator
Brady said:
Il know people on government irri-
cation projects In Idaho who have
been waiting for water from 8 to 10
years. I know people who are living
on projects in Idaho who, when the
water is not in the canal, have to
carry the water for domestic pur-
poses in buckets or haul it in bar
rels for from six to eight miles. In
other instances the Government will
put water on one piece of land and
let Il soak down on another piece
Of land; but when . man has paid
hts $50 an acre for his land, tn.
Governments agents advise him that
the government can not take the
water off; that it was only paid for
putting It on; and that the farmer
whose land is ruined by seepage will
have to go to Congress for relief
While the government is doing this
the farmer is enduring all kinds of
hardships, and yet senators will plead
for the Indian and will net raise
their voice for the relief of the hard
working farmer on the irrigation pro-
jects of the West, who are endurin;
unnecessary hardships in blazing the
way as pioneers.
II want to ask you senators from
the East whether tho Indians of the
West deserve any better protection
than is due the white people of that
same section? What you want to do,
and what you should dc, is to some
how and in some way so plan thai
these works can be constructed at
reasonable cost and without unrea-
sonable delay"
All the amendments offered by
Senator Brady to the Indian appropri-
alton bill we're agreed to by tho
Senate, and an effort is now being
made to have these amendments &C.
cepted by the House. The Bradyamend
ments which the Senate adopted are
as follows:
Appropriating $4,000 to purchase
livestock, seeds, farm implements, etc.
for the Fort Hall Indians, to enable
them under government instruction to
become self-supporting.
Appropriating $4,000 for the cree.
ton and equipment OF new buildings
for the sanitorium for Indians at
Fort Lapwai.
Increasing the appropriation for
the Fort Hall irrigation project from
$40. 900 to $4,000.
Employees for Nez Perce agency.
81, 800.
The Senate committee on Indian af.
fairs undertook to slip an amendment
into the Indian appropriation bill max
ing specific reservation of sufficient
water to irrigate all allotted lands
on the Fort Hall reservation, and to
preserve the Water-rl2htS of individ-
ual Indians, even in case they failec
to make beneficial use Of the water
filed upon. Senator Borah made a |
fight which resulted in killing the
He showed that Con.
sress has no jurisdiction over the
waters of the state of Idaho, and
that water rights in that state can
only be acquired under state law,
and that failure to make beneficial
use of water filed upon would for
feit the right of the Indians, even
though Congress undertook to give
them perpetual rights in violation of |
state law.
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