The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-02-14
irrigation Bill.

The committees on irrigation of the
senate and house have prepared and
will introduce in the house today
bill amending the present irrigation
district law.
In lawing out their work the COM
mittees decided to first take up the dis
trict Nll, but they have under consid-
Grafton a general irrigation bill that is
designed to meet the demand for
clear public record of the rights to
water and a simple method of state
control and distribution of the streams.
Ia amending the district law the
committee were guided largely by the
recommendations of the governor in
his message and by advice of the state
engineer, andin person or by cores.
pondence of the officers of all the irri-
CATION districts now existing. These
districts are four in number-the
Weiser district in Washington county,
the Pioneer district in Canyon county,
the New Sweden district in Bingham
county and the Oneida district in Onei-
da county. These districts are in diff
ferent stages of progress, but the out
look for them all is bright and the 1ise.
INLAND values wherever district has
been formed, lis evidence of the faith
of the people of its ultimate success.
The districts have sold their bonds for
the purchase and enlargement of their
irrigation works, showing that the in
vestor as well as the settler has con.
tidence in the stability and success of
the district plan. .. ..
The irrigation district has come to
stay and will undoubtedly be one of
most potent meahs by which our arid
lands will be brought under system of
irrigation, and by which the problems
Of irrigation development and control
by the people themselves will be solved.
There is no disposition to in any
way change the Intent os the district
law, but in practice it has been found
that the administration of the law
might be simplitied, and it is to this
end only that the committees have been
working, and it is for this purpose that
the present bill is to be introduced.
The amendments, relating to minor
matters Of administration that it
seemed best to make, were SO numer-
Gus that it was practically impossible
| to pass them simply as amendments to
the present law, an the law therefore
| has been rewritten so as to incorporate
these amendments as well as those of
the Sixth session,
| 1t is believed that no amendments
have been incorporated except those
that actual practice in administration
of the i W has shown to be wise, and
none h'S heen inserted except on the
rec",',-'.,,' ttatiOn of parties actually
81 g'4 carrying on the business of
LtI" T. roruG districts. KILL
LluVlslon is made for dividing dis
Crict into three divisions, one director
to be elected from each division by the
district-at-large, the term of Office of
a director to be three years, and one
director to be elected each year.
The date of election of director is
changed from February to December.
In the case of a whole or part of an
authorized bond issue being unsold,
provision is made that the directors
may retire the bonds so authorized and
substitute an assessment therefor, pro-
: Vided that the assessment does not in
any one year exceed 10 per cent of the
authorized bond issue.
The present cumbersome system of
transferring the collection of delinquent
taxes TO the county assessor iS changed
so that the business is at all times in
the hands of the district.
When new land is taken into dis
trict only the boundaries of the new
land so taken in must be described in
the required publication instead of the
entire boundaries of the district, as at
present provided.
Provision is made whereby the State
land when the same is included within
the boundaries of any district, and to
add such taxes and interest to the
price of the laud whenever sold, pro-
vided such taxes be for purchase or
construction of irrigation works, and
F not in any case for operating expenses.
In view of The fact that State lands
share the benefit with other lands from
the construction of works designed for
their reclamation, it is thought this
r provision is just and equitable.
Finally, it is provided that any dis
trict may, in lieu of selling bonds, en-
q ter into a,cOntract with the Government
of the United States for the purchase
of water rights, if at any time the gov
n ernment undertakes the storage of
. water that may be used by the district
uuder the provisions of the national
n irrigation act.