The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-05-16
OKLAHOMA PAYING
MORE THAN SHARE
Texas Is Great Benefici-
airy Of Reclamation
Projects.
HAS COST NOTHING
Oklahoma and Texas Have
Been Least Successful in
Putting Over Schemes.

Special 10 Theworld
WASHINGTON, May ib.-Texa-
has received benefit from the Elo-
nhant Rutte irrigation dam In New
M,xIco 10 I'm. extent or more than
"a oOO 600 b,r tho Lone Star state
has paid nothing into the reclaihh-
tion fund, Congressman y, W. Non
dell Of Wyoupng revealed during
a discussion of,the sundry ciVil ap-
propriation bill -
Oklahoma has received leas hene-
fit from tho reclamation service
than any state In Nie union, II has
pald into the reclamation FUND 'o'-
100000 and has received only
si32,000.
The debate on tho appropriation
brought TO light the fact that Tckhs
has paid nothing into trs fund pc
cause IL is not "A public land STATE,
having retained all OF US own lanu
when II came into the union IN
Isas. The charge OF more than f3,-
OOO, 900 against Texas for water
from the Elephant Butte dam IN
New Mexico is a charge for what is
really surplus Of waier.
The water flows down the Rio
Grande aud farmers who use II pay
for II, though the state Itself pays
nothing. There is not an irrigation
dam In Texas.
Texas recently has heen talking OF
q number of irrigation projects ana
Congressman Mondell expressed ihe
hope that an arrangement could be
made To undertake some OF them.
There are few places In Oklahoma
where II n practical to- start irrlga-
tion projects. but under the law tnfr
state continues TO pay money into
the federal treasury for Irrigation
purposes.
The reclamation act passed In
1909 dedicated tho proceeds Of the
sale OF public lands to tho construC-
tion of irrigation work In II western
states, to which Texas was aftcr-
wards added
Congressman Sinnott OF Oregon.
chairman OF the public lands com-
mittee, In discussing the irrigation
projects, said that the reclaim alton
service Is one OF the greatest activi-
ties of tho government.
Il think that money invested IN
tho reclamation OF arid land In one
OF the best investments the govern
ment ever made" MIR. Sinnott said.
IT has Invested something like
&l20.000.000 In the reclamation OF
the arid lands In i6 western statos
ana Texas. and, according TO the
figures given for crop production In
1919. there was produced rron tna-
Investment OF 100000 900 some
thing Ike soo.ooo.ooo In that one
year"
Other states have been more sue
cessful than Texas ana oklahoma In
gettinK money for irrigation
projects. Arizona put into .hc recia :
nation fun $1.6i6.000. There has
been expended out OF the rec,nina :
ton fund In Arizona s2O,Os7.000,
which may account for somo Of Tho
money oklahoma has paid In with
out receiving any lcnefits.
Colorado has raid into tn. frnd
Ss.6o0,00a and an received sIi.
100000. Kansas has put In 81 600 90
and received only si07, 900. Idaho
has put In $4,000, 900 and re.
ceived the large sum OF s23,-
zoo,000 and received S15,bO0, 900.
nevada 1aJ nut nto the rrclama-
ton fund S735,000. and received s7.-
100000. New Mexico has put in
N,s00.00o and there has been OK,
pended In New Mexico $4,000 900.
North Dakota has put into the funi
Si2,lo0,O00 and there has been ex !.
pended In North Dakota 2.jJ0 UOc
oregon has put into the recl lmat,on
Iund Sll,i65,OO0 and thoro has been
SeApenoed In Oregon $500, 600.
100000 and received 81 600 900 Utah
put IN s2,600,0O0 and has received
IVo'oo0 and has received $4,000 600
wyoming has put In S5,sO7 .OO0 and
mas received over sli 900 900
mere are no irrigation project
piils for Oklahoma pending In con,
sress at this time. Conrrossnn on
Garner and Hudspeth of Texas both
nave pils In committee at this time