The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-10-26
EMMETT BENCH LAND DEAL
Administration Vindicated'.- '.-Ev.
cry Thing Done According
To Statutes Covering
Contracts With State
It's Up to You

Democrats and disgruntled Republl-
cans have made SO many references to
the State Land Board having awarded
themselves special privileges to get
choice lands on the Emmett Bench that
we give the following explanation Of the
matter Of the Canyon Canal company
development of the Carey and state land
on the Emmett Bench in Canyon county;
this is matter which, during the past
year, has been constantly misrepresented
by a venal and maliciously-lnclined press.
The statement has frequently been made
that Governor Gooding had some part
in the disposal of the Carey Act lands on
the Emmett Bench, under the Canyon
Canal compony's project. andthat he had
benefited thereby. This is an absolute
falsehood. 1t is known to be false
hood by the parties who published
the same, and has been published purely
as matter Of blackmail by the Capital
News, conducted by Mr. Sheridan and
edited by Mr.. Polk.
This is proposition wherein the state
of Idaho, during Morrison's administra-
tion, entered into a contract with the
Canyon Canal Companyby which it Sc
lected some thing like 5000 acres ofland
on the Emmett Bench under the Carey
Act, and made contract with the comp
any whereby the, state. was to place a
charge Of $4,000 an acre for water right
upon these Carey Act lands.
"The state on the same bench also own
ed about 5000 acres of state land, and
upon this land the contract provided for
water right charge Of $1,000 an acre.
1t was also agreed in their contract that
the canal company should provide wat
er for lands under private ownership at
the rate of 5000 an acre.
"In the spring of 1905, it having be-
come evident that the canal was to be
completed within the near future, the
state land board set date upon which
entries might be made upon the Carey
Act land, and Governor Gooding and
the other members Of the land board
anticipated that these entries should be
made as they we're in the Twin Falls
tract, by drawing lots. Shortly before
the time for the making Of the entries
upon these lands, notice was served up
on the state land board by the Canyon
Canal Company that this plan was not
to be followed, but that the company
would award water rights to parties for
specific tracts of the Carey land and
that under the Carey law it would be
the duty Of the land board to accept
filing to such lands from the party hold
ing the water contract To this Gov
ernor Gooding strenuously objected de-
manding that the entries should be
made first with the state land Office, the
right Of entry being decided by lot or
otherwise, and that after such entries
were made the canal company should be
compelled to contract with the parties
making such entries for water rights up
on these lands. The canal company
then demanded that legal advice be TAX
en-. The matter was referred to the at
torney general, Ex-Attorney General
Parsons and Ex-Attorney General s. H.
Hays, none Of whom we're interested in
the project and all ofwhom decided that
the canal company under the Carey Act
was entitled to award contracts for water
rights for specific selections Of land prior
to the filing Of those lands in the state
land Office.
Under these opinions the Carey Act
lands on the Emmett Bench were handl-
ed. Governor Gooding did hot have a
claim on the Emmett Bench. He is not
interested IN any land on the Emmett
Bench, either through himself o, anyone
else, and endeavored at the time, in the |
most strenuous way, to prevent the
awarding Of water rights prior to filing |
by settlers upon the land. As further
illustration Of the Governors effort on
behalf Of the public schools Of the state,
in connection with the administration Of
land board affairs, it might be well to
mention that the state owned several
thousand acres Of land, belonging to
either the common schools or special
grants, on tho Emmstt Bench and under
the ditch being constructed BY the
Oanxon Canal company: thana lands xara |