Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1922-06-23

eral Treasury, but it provides that an sum of money-$350,000, 0O0-shall be transferred to the na- tional reclamation fund and that the Secretary of the Interior may from time to time designate lands eligible for reclamation in Mississippi, Maine, Montana, Michigan, Alabama, Ari- zona, Utah, Arkansas, or in any other State, and that such approved pro- jects shall be built. The money will all be repaid to the United States, hence this is not an appropriation.
 Will any statesman arise and de- clare that he has a better solution of the reclamation qeustion? Will any one here advance a better idea than is in this bill? Unless he can do so, it is his duty to support the Smith McNary reclamation bill. Unless some Senator comes forward with better plan for retaining the Everglades of Florida, the overflowed lands of the South, the stump lands of the North west and East, and the arid lands of the West-unless he can point out a better or more eligible plan than is provided in the Smith-McNary bill he is duty bound, in my judgment, to vote for this bill. . Just as soon as this bill is passed the Secretary of the Interior would set to work the various agencies of his de- partment Investigating and approving projects. Here and there and every where engineers would be examining to ascertain where projects may be built.
 I measure my words when I say hat No"Congress ever has and that no Congress ever will consider a bill of more timportances.than the, Smith McNary reclamation bill. Without any offensiveness intended, I speak for others as we'll as myself, not only on this side but for few gentlemen on the other side of the aisle, and say we serve notice now that, if we can prevent it, this Congress will not be permitted to adjourn until the Smith McNary bill is law.
 MT. Lenroot. Mir. President will the Senator yield?
 Mir. Ashurst. I yield with pleasure.
 MT. Lenroot. I should like to ask the Senator whether he thinks the country needs an increased production of agricultural products today?
 MT. Ashurst. Knowing that large number of the 100000 soldiers in a land which they have saved need and desire home or farm, I have little fear of overproduction. Do we need stimulation of agricultural pro- ducts? Is that the question the Sen ator asks me? ~, MT. Lenroot. Does not the Senator admit that at the present prices there is no profit in raising agricultural products? If that be true, does the country need an increased production of agricultural products? z.
 MT. Ashurst. All the more reason why, because the soldier should have a home. If we say agricultural pro- ducts are now too high, let the soldier grow them if he desires.
 MT. Lenroot. No; they are too low.
 Mir. Ashurst. MT. President, the Senator is one of the most determined fighters in the Senate. It would be distressing for me to draw any infer ence from his remarks that he is go- ing to oppose this bill. do not agree with the Senator on many things. He and I have crossed swords frequently and to my discomfiture, on many questions at times, but I shall be fill ed with profound regret and painful surprise if I see that superb intellect fighting the mith-McNary bill. With his ability and leadership he owes it as a duty to his country to stand up and fight for this bill. I hope we may