Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-19
FIGHT IN CONGRESS-
To DRAIN SOUTH'S
SWAMPS PLANNED
BY THEODORE TII4LER
Atlanta Journal News Bureau,
40S Evans Building.


40S Evans Building.
| WASHINGTON, D. c., June 16.-
| On the twenty-first anniversary OF
the signing Of the reclamation aci
by President Roosevelt, it was
learned here today that an active
movement has been launched for
congressional cooperation in the
reclamation of the swamp lands OF
the south that skirt the Atlantic
and gulf seaDoards from Maryland
to Louisiana. Representative Will
nam B. Bankhead, of Alabama, out
lined here Saturday the scope of
the great project to reclaim mil
lions of dollars worth of swamp
lands in the southern states.
| 1t is announced that IN this cam
palgn western senators and con
gressmen will be called, upon for ac-
tive support in return for the sup
port given by southern Legislators
to the western reclamation project
carried through in the Roosevelt
regime. Inasmuch as the west,
which, to date, has received $780,
100000 from the federal treasury
for irrigation of arid lands, wants
additional money for the same de-
Ve1opment, the south feels it is in
position to insist upon reciprocity
along substantial lines and will in
SlSt upon it.
Democrats Aided West
1t was just 81 years ago that
congress passed and president
signed the national reclamation act
under which millions of acres of
western lands have been irrigated
and opened to settlers. The wealth
created by this legislation is al
most incalculable, all observers
readily agree This act was herald
ed as one of the outstanding &C
complishments of the Roosevelt ad'
mlnist.ation, and while the great
influence of Mr.. Roosevelt contrib
uted largely to its enactment, the
bill would not have become a law
if it had not received liberal sup
port from the Democrats of the
south, for arrayed against it were
many leading Republicans of that
day.
In the passage Of the reclamation
act, is is now recalled, the south,
which was almost solidly behind
the measure, asked for no immedi-
ate return. 1t was distinctly under
stood, however, that in time the
south would appeal to congress for
federal aid in retaining its swans
lands, and western legislators who
were leading the fight, pledged
western assistance to the south
whenever that section should be
ready to ask for swamp land
reclamatio nlaW.
The time has now come, it is an
nOunCed in a statement today,
when the south is ready to appeal
to westerners to make good the
promise given 81 years ago.
Representative Bankhead, of Ala
bama, who is organizing the new
campaign for swamp land reclania-
ton, has just returned from a trip
him to see much that had been &C
complished through arid land recia-
nation and he declares that the
time has come for congress to aid
the south as it previously aided the
west. The southern congressman
goes further and offers a reminder
to his western colleagues that they
must cooperate with the south an0
lend it a helping hand for the re-
covery of the swamp lands, if the
west expects the south again to
aid in promoting the irrigation o.
arid lands.
In Commanding Position
Continued western development,
| insofar as it relates to the reclama-
| ton and settlement of land through
federal agencies, can take place
only as the south and the east are
willing to help declared Mr.. Bank
head today, upon his return TO
| Washington. Discussing the pros.
pect for reclamation legislation and
the need of government aid in re
claiming southern swamp lands, Mr.
Bankhead added: 1.-The reclamatoil
act has a curious legislative history
for, although it was passed during
a Republican administration, signed
| by President Roosevelt, and regard
e.. by him as one of the brilliant
| achievements of his regime, yet we
must not forget that it was passed
against the strenuous protests OF
the leading Republicans such ds
! Uncle Joe Cannon. for example.