Arizona republican., 1916-05-29
INDIAN BILL APPROPR|ATE5
 MONEY FUR ROADS AND DAMS
Senator Ashurst Replies to Resolution of Good Roads Association with List of Moneys Secured for Work in Arizona

The following self explanatory letter has been received from Senator Ashurst:
 tlen. Dwight B. Heard.
 Phoenix, Arizona.
 Dear Sir and Friends
 | have received your telegram AS follows:
 ArlZona Good Roads Association
 m annual meeting with representa-
 CFes hne counties state of Arizona
 in attendance, passed strong reso-
 lutons urging senators and repre-
 Sentatives of Arizona in Congress
 Re requested and urged to secure appropriation for roads across In-
 iian reservations count on vour
 extensive influence to accomplish
 object desired"
 have just wired you that | was in favor of appropriations for the con- struction of roads on Indian reserva- tions. which telegram | hereby confirm. ] wish, however now to make d more extended and detailed reply to vour telegram of the 22d In the present congress as was true of the 63rd con gress, there is very pronounced oppo- siIon 10 the appropriation of any moneys Whatever. from Indian funds, or as gratuities. for the construction oI roads on Indian reservations. the ar Gument being made that once the camels nose got under the tent" the appropriations would swell to such enormous volume that it would become severe drain OF the treasury. | have not however taken this view My opinion is that inasmuch as such enormously laGge areas in our western country are included within reserVa- lions of rarioIs sorts and thereby withheld from settlement and tax -ati0n, it is but fair that the federal ! government should partially. if not 1 wholly. pay the expenses of construct 1 ing roads across such reservations 1 Since I have been a member of the Indian committee, I have labored dil- ! gently toward securing such appropTi- ] ations and I have been. I think. sig 1 railr successful with reference to ap- reservations.
 In the Indian hill passed in 1915 S41,O9O was appropriated for q bridge , icr"'s the Cila on the san Carlos res erYation and Sl9S00 for d bridge across the San Carlos river on said reserva- ten. In the same bill was an appropri- atipn of S25 0oe to aid in the construc- ton of bridge across the Colorado live" on the Yuma Indian reservation making total of 200 for the year 1918.
 In the bill passed in 1911 there was m appropriation of SC 000 for d bridge across the Moencopi Wash on tht Western Navajo reservation in Arizo- 1 ra. and s.5000 to assist in the con struction of a bridge across the Col orado river above Needles. making a total of S3l 900 for that year.
 In the bll signed by the president or the 1Sth instant there is an appropri- at ion of $17.0 for the construction oi three additional steel spans with abut nents and piers to extend the bridg, across the Gila on the san Carlos res ervation; and s15.000 to assist in th' construction of a bridge on the NaVajt resei Vation near Wmslow making q total for 1916 of $33 000. In addition thereto, in the Indian bill for 1916 tho sum of S75.000 was appropriated fol beginning the construction of q dan with bridge sdperstructure and neces- sarv controlling works for divertinf water from the Gila river near Sacaton
 nave taken especial interest il these items and my position as chair man of the committee on Indian af fairs made it possible for them to b, included in the various bills and hope in the future to be just as successful in the construction of roads. With sin cc-c esteem,