Arizona republican., 1900-08-03
VOTE B0NDS?, YES
More Reasons Why the Coun-
 ty Should Move
The Need of Water So Imperative That We Cannot Afford to Stop Because of Imaginary Disasters or Fear of Failure.


 the Salt River valley whose interests are more extensive than those of J. Ernest Walker and there is perhaps no man more competent to express an opinion upon what is required for a better development of the county. Speaking yesterday on the subject of bonding the county to encourage res erVoir construction, MT. Walker said: T am heartily in favor of it. I know of no other way to get an adequate and permanent water supply and we must have it before we can go on. The only objection I've heard to bonding yet is that there is a suspected job some where; that the bonds may not be hon estly handled. I want to say now that my faith in human nature and especi- ally in the people of the Salt River val ley has not failed to such an extent that I am afraid to trust them or the officers who might have the handling of the bonds. I would not favor a bonus, and do not believe anybody else would. l should insist upon the county receiv- ing a full equivalent for the bonds and would suggest that it accept reser- voir bonds in their stead. Of course the project might fail, but it is not likely to fail and we must take our chances for failure without a reservoir. Another objection is that the reservoir would fill up. Of course it would, but it would not fill up very fast. It would have to be kept clean by floating dredges. They say that will be very eX- pensive. That's true, but the expense is unavoidable and altogether it will amount to very little in comparison with the benefits we will, get from it. There is no other way out of the con- dition in which we find ourselves. There will be no demand for land until a water supply is assured. We're sell ing a great deal of land in the Buck eye country. There is a great demand for it, though it is thirty-five miles from a railroad. Why? Because we can assure settlers of a reliable water sup ply. Do you suppose people wouldn't prefer land within five or six miles of Phoenix if they could know there would be no trouble about water? A bond is | sue of $500,000 will not embarrass the valley and will not go very far toward building s3,OOO. 900 reservoir. I don't think 1t is asked for so much for itself as sign of the faith of the people themselves in the enterprise and an earnest of their good will"
 Said John F. Hill: "I am a farmer and taxpayer. I have a financial in- terest in both city and county I have been here eight years and have given the water question considerable thought. have noticed each season gradual falling off of the water sup ply, and this season to such an extent as to become very serious matter Another season like the closing present will burn out, bankrupt. and drive out nearly half of the people in the rural districts. The exodus has begun all ready. It is the height of folly to have an agent in the east soliciting immigra- tion. The weaker ones are gone, and the question is how long can the stronger ones hold out? It is very true present conditions look very discourag- ing. but American pluck never faIters onward and try again. Water stora ge We want. and water storage we will have.
 If we wait for government. or for &Tptalist alone to put in water storage uk' this valley we might as well ask for our passports and get out of here as soon as possible. The only alternative can see. as farmers. we should take TO ourselves the fable of the Lark and the Farmer Depend on self. We have an assessed value of nearly s1O, ,OO0, ,O0O. which properly represents a cash value of $SO,OOO,0OO. Out of this half a million would never be felt. The bonds of $5OO,OoO of this county, put in with the capital of some good company in secur- ing proper water supply for all this valley would be one of the best invest ments that could be made for the val ley. As one farmer, am for the bonds: and if s5O0,000 will not secure the aid of capitalists, I, for one again am will ing to double it. Water we must have. let it cost what it will. Water is the only salvation of this valley
 ''To show our faith by our works. some definite plan of work should soon be adopted A central organization should be started in the city here A mass meeting should be called Some tangible form should be given to this matter. A canvass of the county should be made on a proper petition presented for the signature of every interested person in the valley. In this matter the interest of one is the interest of all."
 E. M. LamsOn, when asked about the bonds, said: If there are no loop-holes l favor their issue. In fact, I would be willing to favor almost anything that would assure us water storage. I believe that if the farmers had been amply supplied with water so they could have produced good crops this year, that I would be compelled to em- ploy five teachers in my business col lege. That is the way I believe the water shortage affects me. and it is beyond question that we are all de- pendent upon the supply
 MT. Cartwright. one of the solid farmers of the county, said 'I don't know exactly what to say about the bonds. We need the water badly and, of course, if we can be assured of it we could we'll afford tO nav the amount