The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-11-11

the federal government, working in
with the state govern
ments, would be sure of its safeness Of
such backing, the lands being held
the organized districts as Sc
curity for such backing.
The procedure to secure the pas
age the Jones bill is the vital point at
present, the senator explained. He
urged that there be some steps taken
to get the Secretary of the Interior
favorable to such legislation, and then
get the majority of the senator's and
favorable to it. He
did not know just the attitude which
Secretary Lane has at present, but he
does know that when he passes upon
the bill it must be favorable report
or it will have no show in congress,
even though that body favor it. And
in congress there will also be much
opposition. That body has previously
had bills presented to it looking to
the government for interest guaran-
tee backing for the financing Of other
Improvement works. There was a bill
for such backing for a railroad in AL
aska, said bill being lost, but the de-
sire for aid of some kind resulted in
the government building the railroad.
Senator Jones also called attention to
the fact that the government has
made large land grants, that it has
actually given to the railroads mil
lions of acres, to encourage them to
build new lines. He argues from this
that the government is duty bound to
aid in backing government approved
irrigation projects.
Publicity Planned
Senator Jones then wanted to know
what had been done to call the merits
of the bill to the mind of Secretary
Lane and other senators and repre-
sentatives to secure its passage. He
explained that it would be best to in.
troduce the bill at an early date, to
secure for it place on the calendar
1t was explained that copies OF the
Jones bill had been sent to all the gov
ernors together with copies of Judge
Graves Denver speech. President
Street said that Horse Heaven should
take the initiative and be all lined VI
and ready, and get the first capita
available after the passage OF the bill
Mr.. E. D. Mineah, the largest holde'
of the district asked how best to Sc
cure the publicity needed to get tn
necessary support. Mr.. Harry White
who owns considerable land of Hors
Heaven and other projects advances
the scheme of having convention i
each state of the representatives Q
the irrigation districts, and then hol
a general convention with Californl
at the Exposition early in December
before he fair is over. Want OF fund
, here became apparent. No assessmr
can be levied until next summer, an
that will not be collectable until mex
November. But to make long stor
, short, it was finally handled by OF
dering a committee of three for tn
purpose of raising funds from contr
; buttons to the district. Tuesday, No
! 16. was then named as the date fo
. the Washington Irrigation District
| Convention to be held, and Seattle
the place. Accordingly the secretar
D of the Horse Heaven district is sent
q ing out the call for this convention
{ to all directors of irrigation district
{ of the state, whose names and place
4 business can be found, the place de-
: ipnated being the Frye hotel,
: 1000 A. NJ, Tuesday, November i
4 ANY interested although not the oftici
Z representative of any district, are il
e vited to attend. And any district fai
e ing to get personal invitation is uri
k ed to send its delegates. Senate
o Jones gave his hearty approval to tn
d scheme, and said that it would resu
$ in much-needed support. He also sa
{. that early action was imperative,
e congress will convene the first Mo-
v day in December, being the sixth, lie
IS than one month hence.