The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1922-12-28
TROUBLE FOR
M'NARY BILL
Only Hope for Its Passage
is Amendment to the
Soldier Bonus


this session Of congress. He says:
Advocates of the Smith-McNary
reclamation bill admitted today
that the only hope of its passage
is in linking it with the soldiers
bonus bill, which is soon to be
pressed before both houses of con-
gress. The American legion,
which formerly indorsed reclama-
ton legislation in general terms,
now has come out squarely and
specifically for the Smith Nary
bill.
The enactment of any sort Of q
comprehensive scheme Of reclama-
ton by independent action appears
to have been killed by the volley
Of appeals coming from some Of
the government irrigation projects
for extension Of time for payment
Of construction charges. While
the petitions come from but a COM
paratively few projects in few
states, and are said in some cases
to be the results Of the efforts Of
perniciously active lawyers, they
are taken seriously by the oppon-
ents and half-hearted friends Of
western reclamation.
Within the last week eastern and
middle western members Of the
house, who had originally promised
to support the Smith McNary bill,
have served notice Of the abandon
nent Of that intention because of
tie reported difficulties of settlers
a present projects.
IF the present settlers can not
NEST their payments to the gov
eznment why should Uncle Sam
create future liabilities by the re-
clamation Of additional lands /?
the members Of congress inquire.
The truth is that no petitions
Tor time extensions on payments
have come from Oregon, Washing
ton and many other states, but
there have been many such petit
lions from Idaho, Wyoming, Neb-
raska and Colorado. It is charg-
ed BY the friends Of the Smith
AcNary bill that some Of these ap-
peals Tor extensions are due to the
snergies Of certain lawyers with
clients among the irrigated farm
exs.
Whether that tie true or not, the
faet remains that these pleas for
more time to pay-many Of them
eouched in pathetic terms-have,
caused measures to be introduced
n congress which have blasted the
hopes Of the Smith -McNary bill.
Some Of the bills asked extensions
nom one to three years on the
payment Of construction charges,
which means that the project set
tlers would be required to make
no payments for such periods.
Vther bills would raise the present
time limit on payments from 20
70 40 years.
This latter proposal is declared
= be the worst Of all plans sug-
rested as regards its effect on the
slaase Of reclamation. Opponents
q reclamation say that to extend
NE time for payments from 20
years to 40 years Is only one step
nom another demand that the
capltal costs of projects be cancel
led in their entirety.
Friends Of western reclamation
nefe express considerable annoy
snce over the fact that numerous
ommercial organizations In the
vest are sending resolutions ask
mg extension in the time for pay
"ents OF taxation charges on gov
etnment projects and in almost
very mail resolutions are received
nom them demanding that con-
sess pass the mith-McNary bill.
Inc next fight in the cause Of
rclamation, aided by the Ameri-
an legion, will be to force the
Smfth-M -McNary bill into the soldier
oonus bill before it passes the
mousse. Republican leaders In the
aouse appear to be welded to what
Known as the Lane-Mondell
.0ldier settlement scheme carried
= the bonus bill as It passed the
oo'e a year ago. This plan is
noe regarded as practical at all
y either the soldiers or the real
-osocates Of reclamation because