The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-04-04
Governor Willey's Veto.

Governor Willey's Veto.
The gist of the message that de-
stroyed the irrigation bill is given
below, as it appears in the Caldwell
Tribune of few days ago. It ia
truly a remarkable document. The
message states as fact-and it is
fact beyond question-that Idaho
"land exists in place. 1t cannot be
brought to Whitewater must be
brought to the land" How few
ever thought of that; yet how SIM
pie it is when once stated
But the burden of the Governors
argument is that the canal compa-
MES were not pleased with the bill
and might, therefore, refuse to put
more money in canals in this state
were it to become a law. Who ever
heard of a corporation being pleased
by law that interfered with it's
success in fleeing the public? We
never did. But the fact of their
displeasure should never be made
a reason for vetoing a public law.
The Governor admits that the bill
contains the fundamental princi-
rles that underlie a good irrigation
scheme" What more does he re-
quire? Real defects in the bill
would have been made apparent by
a two years. experiment, and could
have been remedied by the next
Legislature, and it was needless to
delay the irrigation of our arid
lands for two years to please few
canal companies; but this is what
appears to have been done, as the
message fails to point out single
defect in the bill vetoed, unless
comprehensiveness be a defect.
Read it:
The general scope Of the bin as is shown
by tue title. is o very broad one. 1t aims
to regulate one Of the leading. if not the
leading, industries Of the state. A large
percentage Of our arabic lands are prop
erly termed arid, and without water arti-
6cially introduced will be as valueless
for centuries to come as they have been
for centuries past. The land exists in
place. 1t cannot he brought to water
water must be brought to the land. Only
small amount Of arid land is suscepti
BILE of irrigation by small and compare
lively inexpensive canals which are or
may be constructed by associations Of
farmers who divide the water among
themselves and are quite independent Of
any statutory system Of distribution and
regulation. But by far the largest por-
ton of the arid land must be irrigated
by canals Of great size and length, involv-
ing the expenditure Of great sums OF
money and much time in their construc-
ton. These enterprises are the ohes
mainly effected by the provisions Of this
bill. 1t is true the consumers of water
are also intended to be protected in their
constitutional and equitable rights, and
though not numerous ut present 1t is fairly
to be presumed will become very numer-
Gus indeed In the near future. But this
can only happen when water is brought
on or in the vicinity of the land to be
irrigated. Up to the present no COM
plant has reached me that the rights and
privileges Of this class OF our citizens
have been infringcd or threatened. 1t is
one of the possibilities only of more or
less distant future that those rights may
be infringed. In the meantime the pos
sibility Of rigorous and perhaps prohibi-
tory restriction upon the sale of water
tends to discourage the completion of
canals already under way, and prevents
the formation Of new enterprises OF which
our state now stands SO much in need.
These considerations lead ME to the
conclusion that so much power ought not
to be conferred upon practically IRE
sponsible body of men Ms is conferred
upon the county commissioners 10y this
act. The law is premature. The danger
has not arisen. have examined the
present law. 1t contains the fundamental
principles that underIie good irrigation
scheme; and when the time for elabora,
ton Of details arrives am fully con.
vinced that q legislature with wisdom
and discretion equal to the task will also
appear in view.