Arizona republican., 1903-09-06
The Tonto Basin Project To Be As-
 sailed at Ogden.


 irrigation congress at Ogden will prob ably encounter an organized opposition to the Tonto Basin reservoir as pro- iected by the government. The pro- ceedings of the congress may, accord ingly, prove more interesting than has been expected. It is impossible, of course. for the enemies of the reservoir enterprise to accomplish anything in the way of changing the government s programme, even were the congress to vote against the construction of the dam on the Salt river, but it will be the duty as we'll as the pleasure of the Arizona delegates to de:end the feder- al officials and the men who have been closely associated with these off, cials in perfecting the plans for the reservoir.
 Evidence of what is on foot is found in a pamphlet which The Republican has received from D. H. Anderson, editor of the Irrigation Age. a Chicago publication. The pamphlet. it appears, is a reprint of an article which re- gently appeared in the Irrigation Age an article which hitherto has escaped our attention. It is entitled Influences in the National Irrigation Programme" and is ostensibly an attack directed at MT. George H. Maxwell, the executive chairman of the National Irriga ton as- sociation. The thirty pages of rather dull reading have been prepared for the instruction of the delegates to the congress at Ogden, but we doubt whether many will have the patience to read the document through. Editor Anderson attempts to show that MT. Maxwell is a very dangerous person, but the bill of particulars is rot very clear in establishing anything to which Mir. Maxwelrs closest friends could take exception. In brief it appears that MT. Maxwell has been very ener- getic for a number of years in pro- noting interest in the National Irri- gation association; that he was so in fluential as to enlist the financial as- sistance of the transcontinental rail- roads (the officials of which are guilty of trying to build up the territory through which their lines runs,) and that he has been able to get many people throughout the country to join the association. These offenses are subordinate to two great crimes com mitted by Chairman Maxwell. The first of these crimes in that Mir. Max we'll has not been wholly consistent, according to the views of the Irrigat ation Age. That is to say, during the years of missionary work prior to the passage of the national reclamation act, Mir. Maxwell from time to time modified some of the views previously held by him, and readjusted his programme to meet changed conditions. The second Having been largely instrumental in securing the enactment of the federal irrigation law, MT. Maxwell was guilty of gaining the confidence of tine go... ernment officials whose duty it is to execute the law.
 "Mr. Maxwell has led the way in planning the work of the government
 
 Anderson. He goes here and there, promising what the reclamation service will do for this CT that community, and formulating regulations under which the act of June 17th can be carried out without delay He has been especially active along the Salt River valley in Arizona, where conditions are rather unusual. MT. Maxwell was hailed first a prophet, but his domi- neering tactics have robbed him of much of his power and influence. Men with whom he first co-operated have turned against him, and it is extreme " doubtful if any of the measure he has advocated will be iTdorsed by a majority of the people of the valley"
 This reads as ii it had been furnished ready to the hand of the editor of the Irrigation Age by certain gentle men of this valley who found their pet and selfish schemes blocked by the alert and far-seeiug MT. Maxwell, and which said gentlemen are still nursing their wrath. As a matter of fact, George Maxwell was never as strong in this valley as he is today. His tactics were never at any time domineering. He came here in response to an urgent invitation extended by a great mass meeting of representative citizens, and in cooperation with Judge Kibbey and a oommitte of citizens he worked diligently for months in harmoniZing bitter difference which had divided the valley into factions for years. and in formulating plan which would be ac- ceptable to the government. Instead O; being lcnineering, his courtesy. boundless good temper and tact were prominent always and contributed al- most iInmeasurably to the success