THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



71 



law so as to permit of a fund for advertising'. He 

 stated that it was almost impossible to get action 

 by the Committees on Irrigation of Public Lands. 

 and furthermore, that if it were possible to do so, he 

 doubted very much if action could be secured which 

 would lead to a change in the law to benefit the 

 reclamation bureau, through the expenditure of 

 money for advertising. 



It appears to us that it would not be difficult 

 if the matter were properly exploited, to get the 

 irrigation or public lands committee to act, by 

 discussing this matter with a view to changing this 

 law. 



The supposition is that the reclamation service 

 is not in good standing with the members of the 

 committees, otherwise it would not be difficult to 

 carry this point. 



If any of our readers have suggestions to offer 

 that will remedy this condition we will be glad to 

 give them publicity. 



Is Money 

 Necessary 

 To Pass 

 Bill 



In a recent issue of the Riverside, 

 California, Press, we note mention 

 of the National Reclamation and Ir- 

 rigation Association, which is inter- 

 ested in the Newlands bill, which 

 proposes the expenditure of $50,- 

 000,000 on water storage in southern California. 

 The editor of that journal is inclined to criticize 

 the position of George H. Maxwell and others in- 

 terested in the National Reclamation Association. 



The Press is evidently impressed with the idea 

 that the movement is a good thing for George H. 

 Maxwell and his co-laborer Booth, of Los Angeles, 

 who are the leading spirits in this association. 



The Press states "for instance, Stockton is about 

 to raise $42,000 toward a fund to promote the pass- 

 age of the Newlands bill." Of this sum $10,000 is 

 to be used towards paying Maxwell's salary for two 

 years, and $200 a month for copies of his paper, 

 which has recently been revived and is published 

 under the title of "Maxwell's Talisman."' 



In view of the fact that similar propositions 

 have been made to various other cities interested, it 

 is easy to figure out a very fair profit for Mr. Max- 

 well and those associated with him. 



In the first place, he is securing thereby a list 

 of 2,400 subscribers, or at the rate of $1.00 per year, 

 for 200 subscribers per month, which is not directly 

 in harmony, as we understand it, with the postal laws. 

 The Press is inclined to think that Maxwell may- 

 be worth the salary asked from the city of Stock- 

 ton. 



We have learned since the article appeared that 

 an appropriation of a certain sum of money has been 

 made for use in the passage of that bill, but it is 



difficult to understand why it is necessary to expend 

 money in Washington to carry through a bill of 

 this character, if it has merit. 



If this work is being done in a dozen or more 

 towns which may be more or less interested in the 

 subject, it can be readily seen that Mr. Maxwell will 

 take down a good salary, and the question that con- 

 fronts us, is why should Mr. Maxwell take the mat- 

 ter up, and be so vigorous in its support, if it is 

 not true that he is to draw down a large sum for 

 himself and friends. 



The public throughout the west, generally, were 

 familiar some years ago with Mr. Maxwell's activity 

 along similar lines in connection with the Reclama- 

 tion Law, and both he and Mr. Booth of Los 

 Angeles, were discredited at the National Irrigation 

 Congress held in Portland, Oregon, where a resolu- 

 tion was passed stating that the National Irrigation 

 Congress had authorized no one to collect money 

 in its name for any purpose, and that all of the 

 money necessary to carry on the work of the con- 

 gress was contracted by the citizens of the city in 

 which the congress is annually held. 



Mr. Maxwell's profession is that of a lawyer, 

 but it is doubtful if he has spent any time in pursuit 

 of the law since his effort to discredit the irrigation 

 bonds issued under the Wright Act in California 

 many years ago. 



Immigration Commissioner. Roy 

 Would Make Schenck, of Wyoming has a novel 

 Easier plan to attract settlers with limited 



Terms capital to that state. 



For Settlers The recommendation made by 



the commissioner in his biennial re- 

 port, appeals to the present legislature, and states 

 that Wyoming owns many thousands of acres of 

 fine land patented to it by the United States Govern- 

 ment under an agreement entered into when the ter- 

 ritory of Wyoming was admitted to statehood. The 

 state of Wyoming also owns the water of all 

 streams. 



The commissioner proposes that an area of ten 

 thousand acres of state land, which is susceptible of 

 irrigation, be set aside for conversion into reclaimed 

 farm tracts, all work of reclamation and equipment 

 to be taken care of by the commonwealth. 



His idea is that an irrigation system should be 

 constructed by the state and all ditches for the 

 reclamation of the ten thousand acres should be 

 ready for use when the settler is prepared to move 

 on the land. Each forty or eighty-acre farm should 

 be fenced ; half of the area plowed ready for plant- 

 ing ; wells sunk ; barns and windmills erected ; roads 

 school houses and other public utilities provided. 



The cost to the settler of each farm would be 



