East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1904-11-17

The following communication op-
posing the Bien irrigation law pro-
posed for the state of Oregon. was
printed in the Baker City Herald of
yesterday and is worthy of being re-
produced for the benefit of irrigation
everywhere.
The East Oregonian believes the
Bien law is about as perfect as such
law could be made. but this letter
presents the opposition TO that law
very ably:
Baker City, or. Nov. l6, 1904.
Editor Evening Herald:
VIII you please allow me few re-
marks on the proposed new irrigation
law? one of the features that will
be opposed strongly by the people of
the irrigation section of the state is
that it entirely ignores the rights of
land owners and actual irrigators.
giving no recognition to the fact that
they had their rights to certain
amounts of water determined after
long and expensive work and expert
ments in many places after costly
and prolonged lawsuits
This is not to count in the new Cos
pei of salvation of the arid lands of
the state, but a new commandment
is given. They that have shall lose
and they that have not shall take il
freely at the expense of the far
mer.
A -. 4 81.
to multiply officers and create thous-
ands of lawsuits at the expense of
the honest toilers who made the will
derness blossom could hardly be
conceived. The proposal that one in
dividual shall be allowed to seize an
others property on the allegation
that it is for the public's use, when il
is no such thing. and every one knows
it is not. and is simply enthusiasm
clumsy attempt to allow a scheme TO
take the quiet, peaceable mans prop
erty on a false pretext
No notice is taken of the fact that
Oregon has an Irrigation District law
that promises to work well, and that
several districts have been formed
under its provisions and more are
now in process of formation tnat its
most vital provisions are being tested
in the supreme court and the su-
preme court will pass on these pro-
visions in a short time. when the
status of the law will be fixed.
The exponents of this new gospel
should know these things. and they
should know that the question will
be settled when the supreme court
renders its decision in the test case.
next month, and the district law be-
put in practical operation.
They also know that if a new law
is enacted and put to the test its
validity will have to be determined
by the various courts and that years
will be required to determine its
standing and utility IN the mean
time there will be chaos in the irriga-
ton sections. and the water grabbers
will be busy trying to take water
away from those that have been us
ing it for many years.
Quarrels and lawsuits. and possibly
neighborhood war and bloodshed will
follow. If the legislature next Janu-
airy will make up the question in an
impartial and business way. it will
let Mr.. Bien's new imposed law Sc
verely alone and pass a few needed
amendments to the Irrigation Dis
trict law, as may be shown to be nee
essary by the decision of the supreme
court on that law which decisions
will be handed down probably a
month before the legislature meets.
This will give Oregon a good practi-
cal. operative irrigation law. under
which all the waters OF the state
that are available. may be put to the
best use. IRRIGATOR.