Arizona republican., 1906-02-13
FARMERS ARE
 COMMENDED
Urgency of Immediate AC-
 tiOn is Apparent
Arizona Canal Lands Must Have Water at Once Under Penalty of Disaster.

it was definitely settled that the Roose-
 welt reservoir would be constructed by
 the government. But ever since the
 destruction of the Arizona dam, there
 has been a very serious doubt about
 the prosperity of the valley during the coming crop season. Hope though, has
 been stimulated by confidence that the
 negotiations in Washington would long
 ere this, have provided Q way of sal
 vation. That hope within the last two
 or three days has received new in
 spiratiOn and the situation is now more
 encouraging than for some weeks past. Nevertheless time passes swiftly and
 the hour has come when there must
 be action !f the farmers under the Ari- Zona canal are to have crop this sea son. And unless they have a crop
 this season the coming summer will be a strenuous one, not for them alone but for the entire valley for or all places on earth this valley is pecu- | liarly community, correlated in fail ure os we'll as cooperative in the achieving of success. Though the farmers under the Arizona will be the first to suffer it does not fol- low that they will be the greatest sufferers, for # is a pitiable fact that they have now reached the point where they have but little left to lose, though fortunately they can reasonably hope that they have very much to gain.
 However much or little the farmers may know Of the future they realize as well, probably better, than anybody | else in this valley. the prec1riousness of their condition during the pending crop season. That they have taken the ! initiative in devising a means for pres | ent salvation, even though the plans are not yet perfected, is cause for con graduation in all quarters and is espe- ] cially to their own credit There is no doubt that they will receive the hearty cooperation of the whole com munity in their undertaking. Two | plans have been under consideration l for sometime and both have been out lined in these columns. At the meet 1 ing of the executive committee of the l Protective association last Saturday. one of these plans was passed upon. as fully as it could be by the commit ! tee. and rejected. The unanimity and dispatch with which it was rejected. 1 indicates a very general and harmon 1 ious support of the other project, which is Tow the only thing before ' the house" and which it is believed is 1 endorsed by almost everybody who IS concerned in the prosperity Of the val 1 ley.
 The thing that must be encouraged now is action. quick and decisive | though of course conservative and le- gitimate action. Water is the need of l the hour and it is very evident that if i the farmers are to be assured of water l this season they must at once bestir i themselves in that direction. MT. [ r- sv-r asr.r~ rr.1 vised that if the farmers act with the ! consent of the Water company there need be no complications. That con | sent has been given by Receiver Steele, who has thus far done nothing to in | terfere with the farmers helping them | selves. even though he has not done what it was hoped he would do to make the water company help them. In the proposed building of the cutoff the 1 farmers in no way intrude on the com l panys property In the building of any 1 temporary diversion works that may be deemed advisable. the farmers will 1 yet be on their own ground for the have no intention of reconstructing the old Arizona dam. For the carry i ing of such water as may be secured through these operations they already have the water company's consent
  l SS .0OO of their own money to put it in condition The thing to do now Is to | get busy and get water the one thing needful. Should there be completion of favorable negotiations between the government and the water company in the near future nothing will have been ] lost. If tlce government iu that event
 is willing to step into the breach and | lend its aid for temporary relief it will l most certainly be welcomed. But un- | til the issue is setted the hands of the l government are tied and valuable time i is slipping away. week or two lost may be the passing of the hour of sal vation A week or two saved under any circumstances is that much gained 1 It is therefore sincerely hoped that by the time of the meeting on Wednes- day. some plan will have been evolved for immediate action and whatever it | is, as long as it brings the promise of a water supply for this season, without | interference with present negotiations it will not only be welcomed but en- Enthusiastically endorsed by everybody A number of business men were in- terviewed yesterday and the sentiments above set forth were universally en- dorsed Many others were sought but were out of town or otherwise engag- ed and could not be fOunQ TOT all eA- pression of opinion, but in no instance
 was there indicated opposition to tbe plan the farmers have seemingly out lined for themselves. Supervisor J. r. Orme when interrosated said that he had little to say for he was not under the Arizona Nevertheless he said that if he were. he would certainly be in favor of doing everything he could to get water and get it at once He said i've people under the old canals in times past have spent fifty thousand dollars in protecting ourselves against similar misfortunes and I should con
 slider it the part Of wisdom for the peo- pie under the Arizona to help them selves if they can" Frank Alkire. who has been very much interested in tho