The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-14
THE WATER COMMISSION.
VIII Kennedy shows tho Good Points !
the Huffman Bill.

| VIII Kennedy shows tho Good Points In
the Huffman Diil.
To Tho Independent.
A couple OF weeks ago there wns pre-
sented to the Montana house OF representa-
tives a I~etiticn from u handred or more of
the leading citizens OF the Bitter Root val
ley, which reoited that there we're nan
organizations and interpretations of farmers
in Missoula county and other parts of Mon
a which own and operate large irriga-
tion bitches; that these organization have
located. own and control all the most
favorable points for dlverting the waters
from the streams to the exclusion of those
who have more recently located what 10
termed second class lands. which lands.
though lying under and contiguous to such
bitches, are uncultivated for wan of water,
which cannot be had except nt a cost in ex-
cess of the value of the land; and which
petition asked the legislature tor the enact
ment of some law by which persons owning
land under such bitches might have the
privilege OF enlafGing them, paving the
o iginal owners a fails compensation and by
the enlargement becoming part owners in
the ditch.
No more forcible argument could be pre-
scented of the necessity of the state assum-
ing control Of the waters of the state and
creating some system for their develop
ment and though this the development of
all the natural resources OF the land. liz .
few people can prevent the development OF
the resources. il i sutter folly for the state
to spend money advertising the resources
presenting to capital the advantages of in
vsstment here.
There Ia one feature in connection with
the proposed system which the farmers who
oppose the Huffman bill now before the
legislature seem to overlook. They appar-
Al &c.. At-t - AL~ u s,n nj IN
sources Of the country will be developed,
with the result of an overproduction In that
line and consequently, extremely low
prices. They forget that continued success
for even those who are now engaged in
farming must, to Il great extent, depend
upon the development of the manufacture
ing resources in the state. But %planufac-
turing cannot be developed to any extent
without cheaper power than can be
Produced. With reservoirs such as the
state can build, with large canals leading
the water to all points, power could be srp-
piled cheaply TO manufacturing establish
ments of all kinds, and still at a handsome
profit to the state. Further, with such
power at hand, there could be built bv the
farmers themselves in every valley in the
state elect ic railroads which would enable
them to chenply and quickly market all
their farm products, besides having life
made pleasanter for them. With the in
~ VIVIAN SoAo
ma kets for all agricultural productions
and at the same time lower taxes.
The Huffman bill provides that where
water rights and bitches are bought by the
com m ission under this law of eminent do
main, the owner of such water, instead of
taking the money allowance for such prop
erty. may demand the number of inches of
water which belongs to him.. and upon such
demand it ia to be furnished to him forever
free of all tolls. Il has been properly OBJ
jected that this creates Il sort of water arts
tooracy. and is would be we'll to amend the
bill so that the water shall be supplied to
him free of tolls for a specified number of
years. The number of years should GER
tainly not exceed the life of a generation,
and properly should not exceed the num-
Der of Yeas usually taken of animal rental
value to find the present capitalized value
of real estate. which is about twenty
years. In this connection it may not be
out of plaos to reitsrate the statement here
tofore mads that the bill does not enable
the owners of the old bitches and unproit-
able canals to unload their property upon
the state, for the bill specifically lrescrihes
that such property can only be acquired
through condemnation proceedings as pre-
soribed by existing statutes.
The objection made against the bill that
the commissioners may be unbusiness-like
or corrupt. applies equally we'll to any
scheme which may be devised, and also APP
plies to everv state and county officer in
the land. If nothing ia to be one because
men are not to be trusted, there il little
hope for improvement or even of retaining
the present conditions of existence.
Some objections have entered that the
bill smaeks too much of a paternal govern
ment--that the state should not undo =
take such works. Persons who make this
objection should have made objection to
the state constitution and to the d%eclarR-
ton of independence. There are objec-
tions made TO the bill on other grounds,
but generally these are based mora on the
suspicions and frailties of the objeotors
than on anptning in the bill itself.
There are many good features in the bill
to which 1t 10 not necessary to call atten-
ton. Certainly the subject ia the most i'm
portant one which is before the present
legislative assembly. WILL KENNEDY.