Show westerners 0 FT AN ARID LAND B ILL PRO PROPOSE POSE THAT THE TREASURY RY department MAY ADVANCE NEEDED FUNDS it would than be possible to proceed with projects which have been approved ind nd finance irrigation and drainage projects washington As a result of hoar hear ings before a committee of congress prid conferences with will western estern tt senators and representatives the governors of western states and other delegates atrom iro the reclamation association on nn january 17 dratted drafted a new bill to be introduced in congress as a substitute lor for all reclamation loan bills now rending pending it ha having v ang become evident that congress would not authorize an out and out loan to the reclamation fund it Is now proposed in the new bill that the treasury department may from time to time make advances to the reclamation fund over a term of lears up to the aggregate of these advances to be covered by reclamation bonds which aich shall shall be issued and sold its as each payment into the reclamation fund Is made the bonds will run for fifty years bearing interest at four and a halt half per cent and bo be tree free from federal state or local taxation with tho the money so provided tho the secretary of the interior shall completo complete existing preparations proceed with projects which have been approved but never begun because of lack of funds f and may also tallo take up entirely I 1 new projects receipts from all government irrigation projects shall be used in paying principal and interest upon the bonds service men are favored the bill further provides that the secretary of interior in expending tho the money thus loaned may enter into such agreements for operation cooperation co with states counties irrigation or drainage dIstrI districts cM municipal corporations private corporations or individuals as he may deem advantageous he Is also empowered to spend part of this money in preparing for cultivation of lands that are reclaimed char charging ing the cost i of this work against the land improved when any new project or unit is ready for opening cli ening a preference prefer enca right of entry for sixty days Is to be given to soldiers aud and sailors or widows of service men and such lands as are not entered during the sixty day period arlod shall be thrown open to geri general eral entry saturday night the western governors and their associates met with the irrigation committees of senate and house and discussed in detail the draft of the bill that has been agreed upon by them saturday afternoon the governors and other delegates were given a joart hearing bearing try members of the steering committees of senate and house this Is the first time a steering committee has ever held a hearing open to outsiders to discuss the be merits of ary iby legislation and senator McCu Ic Cumber rober presiding emphasized emphasize d this tact fact but said t that hat in view of the distinction of those wishing to lo be 10 heard they should take all the time they desired the hearing bearing lasted more than two hours bours governor davis of idaho made tho the introductory speech outlining the desire of the west and explaining ning in a general way the character of legisla legi ia tion lion sought lie ile was followed by governors campbell of arizona carey of wyoming and former governor spry of utah through all these addre Seq ran an appeal tor for greater operation cooperation co between the federal government and the states in building of irrigation works one theory advanced with some force was the desirability of hiving having the federal government with funds provided by congress build storage dams find and then contract with tile the states irrigation districts or private corporations corpora eions or individuals to build distributing systems and get the water out on to the land the westerners in response to questions said it was mas entirely agreeable that it if this plan be followed the federal reclamation service should have supervisory powers oer the construction of projects supplied with water from government reservoirs when they left the capitol the KOT erners were aware that ill at no definite stand can call be expected from the steering committees until b bills fits have been reported by tile the senate and house irrl cation committees willie while no promises were elicited the governors ore lire well pleased with i the courtesy shown by the stearl steering committees mit tees and are in fit an optimistic optimist le frame fraine of mind as regards the future in fit congress |