The Parker post., 1917-04-28
FAVOR VIEW Of
OPENING LANDS
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RE-
CEIvEs ENCOURAGING LET
TIERS FROM SENATOR ASHURST
AND CONGRESSMAN HAYDEN.

The propaganda recently initiated
by the Parker Chamber of Commerce
for the opening of at least a portion
of the reservation lands under pump
ing systems for the immediate rails
ing of foodstuffs is apparently bear
ing fruit, as evidenced by the letters
received this week from Senator
Ashurst, Congressman Hayden and
]. P. Tumulty, secretary to the pres
ident.
The Arizona delegation has
brought this matter to the attention
Of the secretary of the interior, and
it is believed that immediate results
will be obtained permitting of the
opening Of a part OF these lands at
once. Senator Ashursts letter fol-
lows:
UNIFIED Ol "A LID DEN "A II,
Washington, D. c.
April Is, 1917.
To the Parker Chamber of Commerce,
Parker, Arizona.
Gentlemen:-Thi in reply to
your telegram Of the 18th instant,
signed by the Parker Chamber of
Commerce, in which you urge that
all or at least part of the surplus
land of the Colorado River Indian
reservation be opened to sale and
settlement in order that settlers may
proceed to put the land under
cultivation. You are entirely cor
rect in your view, and it would seem
to me that if the Agricultural and
Interior Departments are to take any
efficient steps looking toward the re-
duction of the high cost of living,
one of the steps ought to be the open
ing of as much of the public land as
possible to the settler. AS you
know, the entire Arizona delegation
is a unit in favor of the opening of
this tract of land and will go to
every proper length and use every
legitimate endeavor to try to secure
favorable reports from the Interior
Department. l shall lay this mat
ter at once before the Secretary of
the Interior with the view of urging
his immediate attention and consid-
Grafton. 1 include hcrein copy of
the bill l have introdu 2ed
Respectfully yours,
HENRY F. ASHURST.
Congressman Hayden, in reply to
a recent telegram, writes the Cham
ber of Commerce as follows:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Washington, D. G.
April IA, 1917.
Parker Chamber of Commerce, Par
ker, Arizona.
Gentlemen:-I am in receipt of
your letter of April 5th, and beg to
advise you that on April 2, intro
duced the enclosed bill authorizing
a report upon the feasibility of con-
structing the Colorado River Indian
irrigation project, in which I have
tried to combine all of the proposed
plans for opening the Colorado River
Indian reservation to settlement.
The general impression is that moth
ing but legislation directly relating
to the war will be considered at the
next session of congress, but you can
be sure that if other bills are con-
sidered, that | shall do my best to
see that the situation at Parker is
not overlooked. In any event. I ex-
pect to urge the secretary of the in
terror to recommend in the annual
estimates which will be submitted
to congress at the beginning of the
regular session that an appropria-
tiOn be made for the purposes stated
in my bill
1t is needless to say that | sin
cerely regret the inability Of the
committee on Indian affairs to visit
Parker. There is talk chat the
special session will be concluded by
the first Of July, and if such is the
case, 1 shall do my best to see that
an investigation is made of the con-
ditions on the Colorado River Indian
reservation. l am satisfied that if
the committee goes anywhere I can
bring them to Arizona.
With kindest regards, / am,
Yours very sincerely,
CARL HAYDEN.