Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-10-15

oShdlOl Nc"ldnuS, NeNaua senior
representative in the senate. address
ed the students and faculty of the
University at assembly hall on Friday
morning. Senator Newlands is one of
the oldest men in the senate in length
of service and in addition is recog-
nized as a constructive statesman in
the development of the Natural re-
sources OF the west. He has served
Nevada since 1898 and is now chair
man Of the interstate commerce com.
mittee. As speaker the senator is
quiet but forceful and clear. The
most OF his address was occupied with
declaration of the ideas and princi-
pies which had guided him in his
work
When he first came TO Nevada
Senator Newlands said the state was
largely dependent on one industry.
namely, mining. The idea came to
him that Nevada must in time be a
commonwealth Of varied industries
and that she must have agriculture as
we'll as mining. In the greater part
Of the state there was lack of sea
sOnal rains which would guarantee
rich crops and the scientific use of
water for the development of western
lands had not then been seriously con-
sidered. Thus the agitation was
started for the use and development
of the water which fell in the form
of snow on the high mountain ranges
of the state. The work was diff
cult because of the lack of collective
effort between the states. Each state
was seeking aid from congress with
out asking the aid of the other west
ern commonwealths. The problem
was to convince the national legis.
lature that irrigation was not new
fad but a practice carried on sor cen
turtles. and that governmental action
was needed. The response TO this agi-
tation was the Reclamation Act of
1892. Compared with the Panama
canal, the Importance of the Reclama-
ton Act cannot be estimated The
canal involved the welfare of inter.
national commerce. The Reclamation
Act involved the commercial and in
dustTial interests of a section hall as
big as Europe. The problems at
Panama extended over district of
fifty miles, while those of irrigation
cover an immense section, and are not
only difficulties of engineering but
also of settlement and government
Eighty millions of dollars have been
spent on sixteen projects. The True
kee-Carson project involved an eX-
penditure of ten millions. II was Mr..
Newland's idea that part of the money
should be spent on the Humboldt and
Walker rivers, but the problem of
private rights interferred and govern
ment land in Churchill county was.
chosen. Senator Newlands expressed
himslf as dissatisfied with the pres
ent sum of money annually devoted
to irrigation development. The amount
is about five million dollars, the in
GOlnt liOul lIIlEdNlOu ldUuS Delne re-
turned to the irrigation fund. A bill
TO greatly enlarge the sum for rccla-
nation purposes has been In commit.
tee in congress for several years. The
intent of this bill is to devote a fund
Of sixty million dollars annually for
ten years to reclamation projects. 1t
is proposed that FIVE millions of this
sum be devoted to the recovery of the
waiers cf the & dorado river for use
in Nevada. Arizona and Utah. This
bill involves the use of all the govern
mental scientific agencies. and will
also necessitate cooperation between
nation and state. The Jurisdiction of
the state and federal governments has
been discussed for years. Regarding
the use of navigable rivers It has been
decided that the nation shall be in
control, but with reference TO all other
uses OF water the state has large
sphere of jurisdiction. The bill, there
fore, provides for national and state
commissions which shall unite to con-
slider problems OF the federal domain
and which shall consider state prob
lens separately. The task which these