Arizona republican., 1906-03-31
A P.ain Proposition

been put before the farmers or 'he Salt River valley.
 All the projects of which they dream aa for wears and for which they have labored for other years are steaoi'S moving forward toward realization.
 The government through whicll alone success is possible. is in full accoru win the Water Users association as 1t is now constituted
 Renresentatives of the government hava gone out of their usual routine to express their confidence in the presl- dent of the association and thelr hish raeard for him. This confluence ana raeard are born of intimate acqualnt- ance and the earnest collaboration oL wears. When the reclamation serFlce is dealing with the association II KNOWS with what it is dealing.
 All the plans now being wrought ouI for the betterment of the valley have been approved as the best The mar ner in which they are being carrieu ont at this end has also received gov ernmental approval.
 It is therefore evident that any change which might be made if Presi- dent Fowler were displaced wouid De for the worse.
 It +here is to be no change. why materially change the personnel or the Water Users association?
 We have no doubt that if the oppo- sition to MT. Fowler should succeed changes would be attempted We do not belieye that the reclamation of1icials would accept any modification or the very satisfactory program which is now heinz carried out. Any attempt to force it upon them would almost cer- tainly result in disastrous delaS.
 We are apt to expect too much or the government Some of us are ln- clined to imagine that the government in the purchase of the north side canals for us performed a simple duty; that if owed it to us and that it further owes if to us to build a diversion dam as speedily as possible
 If will be recalled that all this was no part of the government orlsihai urogram: that while it contemplated a system of public canals and an ade- auate diversion dam, that was mat ter which the reclamation service had no thought of taking up until the Iohto reservoir should approach completion That will be four or five years hence.
 We had no claim upon the interest of the reclamation servnce in the mean time. Yet we have secured that ln- teresf-mainly through the work or MT. Fowler and his presentation of the dlre need of the valley in consequence or the destruction of the Arizona dam.
 Though the north side canals have been practically taken over, no work has been bgun on a diversion dam without which the canals will be almost useless The time for beginning that work lies wholly with the reclamation officials.
 We will suppose now that we had water users association whose course should be obnoxious to those officials; suppose the association man. agement should. as it would be likely to do, attempt to force an alteration of plans upon the service.
 There would instantly be a friction, and pending the removal of the cause of it all operations except those att tending the construction of the reser- voir would naturally be brought to a standstill.
 Why make such a friction possible if not actually probable?
 There is one thing more whch ought to resolve the doubt any man may en- certain regarding his proper course in this critical moment. That is the char acter of the advisers and the nature of their interests.
 Now take Governor Kibbey. No man on either side of the controversy will dare question the governors wisdom and his honesty of purpose. No man more fully understands the valleys needs and the conditions under which they can best be satisfied.
 The governor is outspoken. He de- clares the defeat of MT. Fowler at this time would be a misfortune for the Salt River valley and he tells why it would be one.
 Who are the men who are assuring us that change would be better for the valley?