Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-01-20

EDITORIAL COMMENT
THE CALL CRITICISES.
W. c. Black, Editor

THE CALL CRTICISES.
THE San Francisco Call takes occasion in its issue OF last
Saturday to everlastingly lambast methods pursued by
the government in developing irrigation projects, and treats a
number of phases of the subject, IN a manner that would De
speak a pitiable ignorance of the real conditions as they exist
Among other things the article III question contained the follow
ing:
"A great many contractors have been awarded Jobs on the
federal irrigation work, and most of them IRE now inspecting
their burned fingers and deploring their losses. They suffer not
only from the time limit of the work, which seems TO be hXed re-
CARELESS OF possible interruption by unseen causes, but they are
also apt to face a change in specifications, which makes per
Torrance impossible within the time limit. So their fines, de
auctions and losses by other causes have made that class Oh con
tracing impossible =
The Reclamation law and the situation 1t helps to create Is
increasing the cost of federal irrigation from % to 80 per cent.
This increase works out to the settlers who will take the land
and pay the cost of putting it under water. There is a limit OF
cost beyond which judicious farmers will not go, and if this be
exceeded the whole irrigation scheme will be in danger of failure =
The first paragraph quoted is a truism, but except in isolated
cases, the fault of the contractors losses lay within their own
actions. We personally know of instances where contracting
firms have attempted methods in its dealings with the govern
ment that may or may not be pursued in their dealings with pi-
vate enterprises that would surely have resulted in untold in
justice and hardship to the settler, and the very red tape that
is made the string upon which so many continually harp
coupled with the vigilance OF those in charge of government
work was responsible for the nipping of these enterprsing
ChSiHCS DelOIe lntI maturity. vi II Olut Hdnu We lave III
mind one contracting firm that left this section last fall, whose
dealings had been honorable and business like, and who left with a
good fat surplas as a result of the government work But as
W. have stated before there were cases here as in all other classes
of work, where estimates were made too low, and the losses ac-
cruing naturally fell upon the men who underbid what it was
really worth.
But in discussing The cost of federal irrigation, the Call falls
short of the standard of general intelligence that characterizes
its editorial co umn, and the claim that expenses are being
saddled upon the settler that are unnecessary is without fact.
1t is true that the irrigation systems now in course OF construc-
ton are the most expensive perhaps, of any ever constructed,
but the most cursory observer cannot fail to note the causes,
nor the far reaching effects to be derived. Matchless systems
buhded not for one generation. but for fifty, are being rapidly
constructed and their thoroughness creates facilities that is no
small consideration with the men who will develop the land.
When we consider the governments real purpose in develop
ing these projects, the creation of homes. and the alienation of
the wants of humankind, it looks exceedingly nasty for any journal
to waste surplus energy in criticism, for in spite of opposition,
government irrigation will endure for all time and the Carson
project among others will soon be a lasting monument to its
efficacy.