The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-03-12
LOVEJOY SAYS CONGRESS
WILL VOTE MONEY IF
GIVEN CHANCE

". LONeJOy returned from WASH
ington Saturday fully convinced that
Congress will authorize loan to the
Black Canyon irrigation district pro-
vided 1t ever gets a chance. The leg
lslatlon necessary must originate in
the reclamation of arid lands COM
mittees OF the two houses of congress.
These committees, in the opinion of
Mr.. LoveJoy, are not acting as he
would have them. He seems to think
that the water power trust is exer-
cising undue influence in congress.
Mr.. Lovejoy was away about six
weeks. He visited Washington, Buff
falo and New York and many other
points of interest and had a most
pleasant trip.
He prepared for The Tribune the
following statement of conditions as
he found them.
Reclamation officials Interested
Since my return from Washington
where | was sent in the interest of the
Black Canyon irrigation district, an
urgent request has been made of me
for a published report stating clearly
things as | found them, what | was
able to do, prospects of success as re-
CARDS government aid, and conditions
in general affecting the district.
found the Reclamation officials
deeply interested in behalf of govern
ment aid and most courteous, and un-
firing in their efforts to aid us and
ready to do anything to further the
cause found the sentiment in many
state delegations in the middle west
that | made thorough canvass of
ready and willing to aid us whenever
this matter can be brought to vote.
was not able to investigate the feel
ing from every part of the middle
west, east, and south, but in talking
with others who have been at work
in our cause and who must know
whereof they speak | am led to be-
lieve that whenever any measure for
a reclamation loan is voted upon it
will carry by a good majority. This
OF course is based upon the assump
ton that the states interested in irri-
cation and in maintaining the recla-
nation service will give it their un
ANXIOUS support, which we have
right to expect will be done.
As to the reason or reasons why this
legislation was not on the program
at the last session of congress | am
unable to say. / do not see that the
west has any excuse on account of
not being represented on committees,
through which this legislation must
come before a vote can be taken on it.
The committee of the house on irri-
CATION of arid lands where this bill
members of which the states of
C~11~oIN
New Mexico, Montana, Nebraska,
Kansas, Nevada, Idaho, Utah and
Oregon have twelve. The same COM
mittee in the Senate consists OF fifteen
members of which the states of Mon
tana, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas,
Nevada. Oregon, Utah, Wyoming,
California, New Mexico, Nebraska
and Idaho have twelve, giving a good
majority of western men on these
committees.
| find that the fight for the bene-
fetal use of water in the west is be-
tween the land owner and the power
interests. The public lands committee
figure largely in the. legislative pro-
gram as regards the affairs Of the
west. In the house out of twenty-one
members on this committee the
states Colorado, California, New Mex
leo, Arizona, Montana, Idaho Wash
ington, Oregon and Utah have eleven
In the Senate the same committee
consisting of fifteen members from
the states of Montana, Arizona, Colo
RADIO, Kansas, Nevada. Oregon, Utah,
California, New Mexico and Neb-
raska have ten. As regards the APP
preparation committees they are
necessarily more diversified owing to
the more general scope of their work
In the Senate there is a strong repre-
sentation of western members on this
committee. | talked with members
of the committee in the house and
was told that they stood ready and
willing to do what the western CON
gressmen say is needed when this
reaches them, and was informed
from other sources that other mem
hers of this committee were favorable
TO us.
Ny greatest surprise was to find
rover legislation authorizing the tax
ing of public lands and resources for
power purposes passed by the House
aud by that branch reserving to the
secretary of the interior the power to
'N'NiilllNN liEhAS lll AAlN fNbAAN NNlhA'H
and waters. but so amended by the
Senate lands committee ms to take all
discretion out of the hands Of
the secretary of the interior and alb
Solutely directing him to turn over to
the power interests upon mere apph-
cation by them for fifty years any part
of the public domain reserved by the
President for reservoir sites for irri-
cation, or unreserved, and any part
of the public domain except natiopal
parks and military reservations. This
would include every reservation for
reservoir or other irrigation purpose
and would include the Payette Lakes
and all rights of the Black Canyon ir-
rigation district the power people
might see fit to file upon. This vicious
legislation was too much for a man