The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1894-12-22
o. s. L. TINE CARD.
IRRIGATION LEGISLATION.


motive and Protective Association at
their regular meeting on Thursday. Nov.
20, 1894. by T. ID. Babbitt, chairman OF
the committee on irrigation.
The question OF Irrigation legislation
Ia one which Is so closely allied to all
other interests in Idaho that Il would be
difficult to cover the ground except Ia a
general way and with view Of Great
ing some more interest In the subject.
II is TO be hoped that an irrigation
law will be passed by the legislature
during the coming session, that will be
broad enough in its conception to dis
pose OF this question In manner that
will be satisfactory to all who are inter-
ested and which will also insure the
future prosperity OF Idaho. The first
requirement Of such legislation would
naturally be that the farmer should be
placed In such position that he would
shape his affairs on businesa lines and
that his right to till the land and build
himself home, should so far as pos
sible, be independent OF any man or
combination OF men. There seems to
bs but one solution To such PROPOSE
ton which is, that the same man must
own both land aud water.
The Wright Law" OF California. was
passed In 1887 to meet just such case,
Its object being TO allow the land owners
70 organize into districts similar to
school districts, for the purpose Of build
ing or buying canals, aud operating
them. Bonds are issued and sold by
these districts In the same manner that
a school district would issue bon Is and
IN ten or fifteen years when these bonds
sS~ paid od each district will own their
canals and will be taxed only for main
tensnce and operating expenses.
Under this system every acre OF land
pays water taxes whether the land is
cultivated o. not and those who are iu-
clined 10 speculate have no advantage
over the man who improves his land.
Under the operation Of this law In
California for the first five years, thirty
nine districts were organized covering
2,046. Sd2 acres. the assessed valuation
OF which was s3s. 0eo. s32, and bonds TO
che amount Of 81. 500. e5l have been sold.
In the report from which these figures
were taken the annual operating ex-
penses which includes maintenance,
officers salaries and distribution of water
are not given except in the Upton dis
xict, 10 Tular county. where 1t was Is
cents per acre In 1902.
IL has been ssid that this law would
not apply In Idaho and that no new
capital could be secured II II was passed,
but an impartial examination OF these
facts will show the reverse TO be true.
Thousands Of acres Of our best lands are
now in the hands of private individuals
but the conditions are such that settlers
give us wide berth. We need large
amount Of capital TO build reservoirs.
and enlarge the present canals, in fact
10 complete what has only been com
mencsd, sad we do not want TO be com
PEELED TO pay for these improvement, $
bat once
In regard to opening up new districts,
. franchise would be fw a tsvm OF years
W any company that would build sub
stsntisl canal just As franchises are
given by many OF our large cities for
water works Such company would
Of course have the option OF allowing a
district 70 be formed AT any time and
selling to them at an agreed price. After
the fFanchise'expired the district would
have the power to condemn and buy the
canal at fair valuation
The security which such system
would offer would be almost as good Il,
government bonds and II would get bet
ter each year rs improvements wer,
made. As result plenty OF money ut 4
p low rate OF interest. could be secured fol
all legitimate irrigation enterprises ane
our people would be prosperous anC
contented. y-Payetie Independent.