Show I WESTERNERS DRAFT AN ARm LAND BILL PROPOSE PROPOS PROPOSE THAT THE TREASURY D DEPARTMENT MAY ADVANCE NE NEEDED D D FUNDS I it Would Th Than n be Possible to Proceed With Projects Which Have Seen Been Approved Finance Irrigation I and Drainage Projects As Washington As a result of ot hearIngs hearings hear- hear Ings before a committee of f congress s and elud d conferences with western senators sen sen- tors and representatives the governors of western estern states and other delegates irom rom the e reclamation association on in January 17 11 drafted a new bill to be introduced In congress as a substitute for tor all aU reclamation on loan bills now I pending It having ha become e evident Ident that congress congress con con- gress gross would not authorize authorise an out and out loan oan to tho the reclamation fund it Isnow Isnow Is Is' Isnow now proposed In the new bill that the tho treasury department may from time to time make snake advances to the reclamation tion on fund over a term tenn of at years up to the aggregate of ot These advances to be covered by reclamatIon reclamation reclamation tion bonds which shall be issued and sold Bold as each payment Into the reclamation reclamation recta mation fund Is made The bonds will run for fifty years bearing Interest at four tour and a half per cent and befree be befree befree free from federal state or local tax tax- With the tho money so ded the tho secretary of the Interior shall complete com corn pleto existing preparations proceed with projects which ha hae have e been approved ed but never begun because of ot lack of funds and may also take up entirely entire entire- ly new projects Receipts from all government Irrigation projects shall be used In paying principal and Interest upon the he bonds I vice eel turn men Are re Favored The bill blU further provides that the secretary of ot Interior r In expending the money thus loaned may enter Into such agreements for co operation co-operation with states counties Irrigation or drainage districts municipal corporations private Pr- Pr vate rate corporations or Individuals as he may deem advantageous He lie Is also empowered to spend part of this money In prep preparing for cultivation of lands that are arc reclaimed charging the cost of this work against the land Im- Im proved ed When any new project or unit Is ready for opening a preference right of ot entry for sixty days Is to be given to soldiers and sailors saIlors' or widows of ot service e men and such lands as are not entered during the sixty-day sixty period shall be thrown open to general entry Saturday night the western governors gover gover- nors sand not and their associates met with the Irrigation committees of ot 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 Joint hearing by boy members of ot the steering committees of ot senate and house This Is the first time a steering committee committee com corn has ever er held a hearing open to outsiders to discuss the merits of ot n ny legislation and Sen Senator tor McCumber presiding emphasized this fact but said that In view of ot the distinction of those wishing to be heard they should take all the time they desired The hearing lasted more than two hours Governor Go Davis of Idaho made tho the Introductory speech outlining ng the the thede desire desire de do- sire of ot the west and explaining In a general way the character of ot legislation legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion sought He was followed by Governors Governors Gov Coy Campbell Campbe I of ot Arizona Carey of ot W Wyoming and former Governor Go Spry I of Utah Through all these addres addresses E i iran ran an anneal appeal for tor greater co operation co-operation between the federal government and nn t I the states In building of ot Irrigation I works One theory advanced with some I force was the desirability of ot having the federal government with funds I I provided by congress r build storage dams and then contract with the i states Irrigation districts or private i corporations or Individuals Individuals' to build L distributing systems and get the water out on to the land The TV westerners In re response to questions questions ques ques- said It was entirely agreeable that If it this plan be followed the federal federal fed fed- eral reclamation service should have supervisory powers over the construction construe tion of ot projects supplied with water from government reservoirs When they left th the capitol th the gov governors were aware that no definite stand can cnn be expected from the steerIng steerIng steering steer steer- Ing committees until bills have been reported by the senate and house Ir- Ir 0 rI committees While hIle no promises w were ere elicited the governors fire are well pleased with the courtesy shown ghow by the steering om com committees and are fire In an optimIstic frame of mind mind d as re regards the future In con con- on- on gress 0 |