The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-10-07
RECLAMATION POLICY KILLED
BY REPUBLICAN LEADERS
so SEN. BORAH CHARGES
(By The Federated Press)

(By The Federated FTeSS)
Washington. - Teh reactionary
Republican leaders have again thrown
down the agricultural West by ADAM
doning their announced reclamation POI
Icy, and thus have broken another pro-
mise made in their 1920 platform and
by Republican speakers throughout the
West in the last campaign. They were
openly charged with killing their an
nounced reclamation policy by Senator
Borah (Rep., Idaho), on the floor Of
the Senate in discussing the proposed
'$5,000.000 loan to the black republic
of Liberia. Senator Borah said:
There is no installing the import of
the speech of the Senator from Kansas
(Mr. Curtis), the Republican whip. |
have known for some time that the
leaders upon this side of the chamber
(Republican side) proposed to kill the
reclamation policy. There has not been
an effort here or a move made that has
not been check-mated by these gentle
men. The Senator from Kansas (Mr.
Curtis) has been perfectly frank in an
nouncing to the country that the policy
is at an end. so far as the leaders Of
the Republican party in this chamber
are concerned"
In virile and ringing speech, Senat-
or Pat Harrison Dem, Miss.), who
has always championed western inter-
ests, reminded the Republican Sena-
tors who had proved false to their
pledge of a reclamation policy for the
West, to this plank in the Republican
platform of 1920: T.
I'VE favor fixed and comprehen-
sive policy Of reclamation to increase
national wealth and production.
I'VE recognize in the development
of reclamation thru Federal action, with
its increase of production and taxable
wealth. safeguard for the nation.
I'VE commend to Congress a policy
to reclaim land and the establishment
of a fixed national policy of develop
ment of natural resources in relation
to reclamation thru the now designated
Government agencies"
In pursuance of this policy reclaim
alton bill known as the Smith-Mc Nary
bill, was introduced and made the land
settlement clause of the Soldier Bon
US bill, appropriat:ng $350,000,000
for reclamation projects.
After the Soldier Bonus bill had pass
ed with this clause, the reclamation
feature of the bill was killed by the Re-
publicans in conference. Whereupon
Senator Borah (Rep., Idaho). introduc-
ed an amendment to the Liberian Loan
bill, appropriating $20,000,00O TO ex-
pedite the completion of government
reclamation projects and to extend
them and take up new projects under
the national irrigation law"
The Borah amendment met with the
immediate opposition of the RepubIi-
can leaders, fo- whom Senator Curtis
of Kansas, the Republican whip, was
the spokesman, and an attempt was
made by them to show that reclamation
projects had not repaid the government
IN the sums expected and the infer
ence was plainly drawn that the men
who are trying to build homes in the
West are practically dishonest and UNI
willing to pay their debts, but this state
ment was refuted by actual figuses,
and by the further fact that in many in
stances it is costing the agriculturists.
under reclamation projects more to ship
their crops to market than they can
get for them when sold.