The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-01-11
of commissioners shall be allowed and
paid q per diem not to exceed ten dol
lars per day during their attendance

idIS PSI u0y uulln8 their attendance
upon said court in the conduct OF said
examination. and mileage at the rate
of five cents per mile for every mile
actually Travelled going to and return
ing from attendance upon the court
at such examination No appropriation.
however, was made to meet the ex-
penses that should be created by the
! appointment of such a board. But.
Notwithstanding the want of such an
appropriation, this court, owing to the
| pressure upon it of constantly increas-
ing business which could not be dele
gated, felt compelled to relieve itself
| of the burden of conducting the exam
| ination of applicants in person by the
/ appointment of board of examiners
under the act. To that end, on De-
cember IL, 1903, the court named as
| members of such board, Mr.. P. NJ
Troy. of Olympia, Mr.. James B. MUIR
| ply, of Seattle, and Mr.. ]. B. Bridges,
| member of the bar of this court, AMI
otherwise qualified to act as a MEM
Der of such board according to the
| terms of the law. These gentlemen
| accepted their appointments, each
| having been reappointed at the expira
ton of his first years service
by the terms of the statute the
several members of the board have
become entitled to the following sums
from the state, namely, Mr.. ]. M Troy,
mileage s. per diem, 500; total, $50;
Mr. James E. Murphy, mileage, 1890;
per diem, 800: total s119.20; Mr.. j. B.
Bridges, mileage, $12.50; per diem,
$50; total, $3.50; grand total, 1892.
LAS the members of the board have
not only given the time necessary to
faithful and conscientious discharge
of the duties imposed by virtue IF such
appointment, but have also borne their
own expenses while in the discharge
of such duties. the court feels that it
would be no more than just that the
coming legislature make provision
for the payment to them of the
amounts earned as above stated. The
court, therefore, begs to call your at
that you, in any way that you may
deem most fitting, call it to the atten-
ton of the legislature, so that that
body may have an opportunity to take
such action concerning such payment
as in it's wisdom it may deem appro-
priate."
Fully agreeing with the court 1 re-
commend an appropriation sufficient to
cover the claims of the board of ex-
aminers.'
Irrigation In State.
subject of very great Importance
to the state is that of irrigation. June
II. 1902. what is known as the Re
clamation Act" was passed by con-
gress, reserving, setting aside and ap-
propriating as a special fund in the
treasury, to be known as the 'reclama-
ton fund.-" the proceeds derived from
the sale of public lands, excepting five
per cent. thereof. in thirteen states,
including Washington, and three terri
tories, said reclamation fund ito be
used in the examination and survey
tenance of irrigation works for the
storage, diversion, and development Of
| waters for the reclamation Of arid and
semi-arid lands in the said states and
territories" It seems to be the in
| tent Of the act that the money derived
from the sale of public lands in each
of said states is to be expended in that
| state subject to the existence Of
| feasible irrigation projects therein"
| provided the laws of the state are such
that the spirit and purpose of the act
can be complied with. I understand
| tNdt THIS state mas contributed IN the
neighborhood of three and one-half
million dollars to the reclamation
fund.-" It is certainly of the utmost
| Importance to the state that this
money should be expended in the state.
Whether this can or will be done seems
to hinge, first, upon the existence of
feasible irrigation projects in the state,
from an engineering standpoint, and,
! second, upon whether our laws are
such that those In charge Of the recla-
nation service would deem it feasible
to attempt to carry out such irriga-
ton projects as may be feasible from
an engineering standpoint. No one
doubts the existence of feasible irriga-
ton projects in the state from an en-
gineering standpoint. and it seems
equally clear that our laws are not
such as to warrant those in charge OF
the reclamation service in undertaking