The Tomahawk., 1919-09-25
RED LAKE DRAINAGE
SUGGESTIONS ASKED.

OaIucu oppIONoA VI tuO w o. uO-
partment and Franklin K. Lane,
secretary of the interior, to pro
ject to drain land in and about the
Red Lake, Minn., Indian reserva-
tion, Representative Halvor Steen'
erson of Crookston wrote letter
to Governor Burnquist, asking for
suggestions from the sCate. With
the letter he sent q draft of a bill
prepared by Secretary Lane, which
proposes that the Department of
the Interior supervise the work.
1T seems to me-" Mr.. Lane
said in a recent letter to Mr.. Steen-
erson. THAT the plans suggested
for the drainage of the Red Lake
reservation and the lands lying
along the Red Lake river and the
construction of works for control
ing the level Of Red Lake and the
flow of the'river are practicable. "
The plans already had received
the approval of the War depart
ment, but it desires, like Mr..
Lane, to oversee the job.
In his letter to Governor Burn
quist,> Mr.. Steenerson said:
THE idea upon which the War
department reported was that the
Red Lake Indian reservation. be-
ing in the nature of local inter-
est, should be treated accordingly,
and should contribute its share,
which can only be done through
appropriate congressional legisla'
ton. Such legislation must, &C
cording to the usual procedure, be
recommended and approved by the
Secretary of the Interior.
'While the bill drawn by the
Secretary of the Interior indicates
q willingness to cooperate and
contribute on behalf of the Indians
their share of the cost OF the pro-
ject, it contemplates copferring
upon the Secretary of the Interior
the entire authority over the con-
struction Of the work.
This is in conflict with the
recommendations of the Secretary
of War. l therefore have the
honor to request that you submit
these matters to the state drainage
commissioner, as we'll as the state
auditor and the attorney general, ,
with the view to determining what
course would be more advantage
Gus to all concerned.
Il should then be glad to re-
ceive suggestions or tentative
drafts of amendments or changes
in the bill proposed by the Secre-
tary of the Interior. If it should
be the consensus of opinion that
the work should be constructed
and maintained and operated BY
the War department, it would be
necessary to have a conference
with the Secretary of the interior
in order to reconcile that depart
ment to the change, as it is . very
important matter that we have the
cooperation of the Interior de-
partment, for otherwise it would
be difficult to get the contribution
apportioned to the Indian lands.
To authorize this work, which
has been planued by the engineers
of the War department, to be
carried out by the Interior depart.
ment, might encounter opposition
in Congress. especially of the com
'mittee on rivers and harbors, as il
would be a new departure in leg
islAtion. Of course, Congress i:
not bound to carry out the wishe:
of either of these departments ir
the way of legislation, it is the
desire to frame q bill which would
satisfy not only the state suthor
tiles. but also these two depart
ments, and l therefore request Il
be advised in the premises at thu
earliest practical date of any sug
gestions on the rart of the STATE