The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-10-10
Purposes of
Water Users
HSSOCiatiOn
By r. n. Newell, Chief Engi-
neer Reclamation Service

The question is frequently asked,
What is is a water users association
and what is the necessity of its or
ganization in connection with the
operations of the reclamation act?
The answer is simple; it Is merely
necessary to refer the reclamation
act and consider for a moment what
are the effects of the various require
ments.
This act sets aside the proceeds
from the disposal of public lands as
a fund. This money, derived from
the disposal of lands in thirteen
states and three territories, goes in
to the treasury and forms part of
the revenues of the government. 1t
does not belong to any state or ter
ritory, but is just as much a part of
the federal funds as are the receipts
from customs or from direct or indi
rect taxation
In spending this federal appropria-
ton, however, there are certain re-
strctions put upon it as to the way
in which it should be distributed; and
it is declared the duty of the secre-
tary of the interior, as for as the
same may be practicable, to expend
the major portion of the funds with
in the limits of the state or territory
where the lands that have been sold
were located The money is spent in
the survey, examination, construction
and operation of irrigation works,
and these works are to be paid for
by the owners of the lands benefited
When the payments required by the
act are made for the major portion
of the lands irrigated, then the man
agement and operation of the irriga-
tion works pass to the owners of the
lands irrigated by these works, and
they are to be maintained at the eX-
pense of these land owners under
such form of organization and I'M
der such rules and regulations as may
be acceptable to the secretary of the
interior 1t is further provided,
however, that the title to the reser
voirs and the works necessary for
their protection and the management
and operation OF these shall remain
in the government until otherwise
provided by congress.
The organization which is ulti-
mately to maintain the works will
have a very difficult undertaking be
fore it-far more so than the ordin
airy school district or small munici-
pality, to which it may be compared.
The maintenance of great hydraulic
works Is by no means an easy matter,
especially where they must be guard
ed day and night. the water dis
tributed to hundreds of thousands
81
GRAFTON collected and everything
kept on safe and sound financial
basis.
The quicker such an organization
is formed and the longer time it has
to gain experience, before assuming
the larger duties, the better for all
concerned, and the secretary of the
interior has. therefore. decided that
these organizations should be formed
as soon as possible, SO that he may
deal with the hundreds or thousands
of people as unit and not be har
raised to settle neighbOrhoOd quar-
rels and to pass upon the innumer-
able petty questions which arise in
every irrigated community. He
therefore insists that the organiza-
tions shall be formed at as early a
date as possible and elect response
BILE officers who can attend to all of
these smaller matters and bring to
him only the larger questions which
can be presented in full at Washing
ton.
In other words, the secretary Of
the interior says in effect to COM
munity:
eff you will organize along certain
lines, and covering the essentials Of
the reclamation act, will enter into a
binding agreement, will advance
the money, build the works and turn
them over, you paying for them in
ten annual installments, without
profit or interest You must guar
antee the return of the money and
must attend to your own local af-
fairs, following certain general prin-
ciples. ] will build the works in an
economical and permanent manner,
and will see that everything is done
carefully and legally, SO that you
will not be burdened with bad debts,
imperfect titles, or questionable wa
ter supply. On the other hand, you
must subdivide your land, bring in as
many people as can make homes,
and conduct your affairs so that the
interests of the whole country will
be advanced by having prosperous
homes and utilizing areas which
would otherwise be waste and DESC
late"
This means in effect that petty
speculation, the holding of farm
areas out of the market for years to
obtain fancy prices, must cease. In
stead of holding back the country;
the people must get together and
boost" 1t by each trying to develop
his piece of land to the largest and
best extent, and not simply sit down
and wait for the other man to spend
his money and labor for the general
good. There are. Of course. few
people in every community who OBJ
ject most strenuously to doing any
thing for the common good unless
they are forced to 1t. They want to
buy and hold a good piece Of farming