, 1906-10-31
PROBABLY NOT FOR PUBLICATION

Occasionally In a political campaign
things not intended for publication
have a very important bearing in
bringing the truth before the people,
The Republican gives TO its readers
herewith a communication from Attor-
ney t. H. Gibson to n state official re-
lating TO Mr.. Stone and his water con-
tract which throws some light upon
the subject. While Mr.. Gibson is the
democratic candidate for county attor.
ney and probably did o intend the
latter for publication, 1t was written
to a public official and is therefore a
public record. The letter follows:
Laramie, Wyo., Oct. 81, 1906. Dear
Sir:-I have just received the pamph-
let's setting forth the Plans of the
Irrigation of the Coded Portions of the
ShoshonC Indian Reservation for
which accept my thanks. | have not
had time to make a critical study of
the same: but from n cursory eXamina-
ton of the ~initiatory steps taken by
State Engineer Johnston, the first inn
preston is that Mr.. Johnston not only
acted in utmost good faith, but with
untiring zeal in a cause in which he
had the utmost confidence that his eff,
forts were for the best interests for
the state which he serves.
Certainly this Is a matter that
should receive careful consideration
before wholesale condemnation, and
the first should be made before the
second should be endorsed. Personal
lEy | shall practice what am preaching,
and in the meantime act on the pre-
sumption hat an officer is presumed
TO have performed his duty until the
contrary is proven.
Il heard only a part of Mr.. stones
remarks, and that part consisted of
the conclusions he had drawn from
the premises heretofore stated. BY
your kindness | am now enabled to
understand the premises from which
the correct conclusions may be drawn,
and from these Mr., Stones concluding
statements may be thoroughly tested
Again thanking you for your courtesy
in this matter, | am. Very truly yours,
"THOS. H. GIBSON"
II Mr.. Corthell of the Boomerang Or
any other democratic attorney in the
state would give his honest, candid
Judgment upon the actions of State
Engineer Johnston and the state ad-
ministration in the matter of the res
ervation irrigation contract, they would
say the same as Mr., Gibson has said.
They know the contract is a good one
and that it is an honest one, and that
their only purpose at this time is to
make political capital out of 1t.
If there is any person in this county
who desires to test this proposition
further, let him investigate the maxi
mum rate provided by the Wyoming
Central Land and Improvement com
pany for its water rights. Mr.. Cor
thell is largely interested in this com
pany. The Republican believes inves-
tigation will disclose that there is no
maximum rate and that the company
is at liberty to charge any rate it
, pleases, and yet Mr.. Corthell is con,
demning Mr.. Johnston for not making
a lower maximum rate than he has in
the case of the Wyoming Central Irrf.
CATION company on the Shoshone res.
ervation. Is any person heard to com
plain that Mr.. C%orthell's company is a
great octopus seeking to devour the
most sacred rights Of the people? The
truth is that lands and water must
sell at the market rate or not sell at
all. Mr.. Corthelrs company and the
Wyoming Central Irrigation company
must compete with all other irrigation
companies. In the case of the Wyo-
ming Central Irrigation company, how.
ever, the state engineer has wisely fix.
ed a maximum rate beyond which it
cannot go.
If doubling ones are not satisfied
with investigating the company in
which Mr.. Corthell is a leading spirit,
ing business in the adjourning county
of Laramie-the Wheatland Develop
ment company-and see just what the
maximum rate is that this company
may charge for water. Investigation,
We believe, will disclose the fact that
there is no limit, that the Wheatland
Development company may charge any
price 1t pleases. And yet has any per,
son been heard to complain about the
eXtortion of that company? Has Mr..
Corthell or any other democratic lead
er raised his voice against the price
of land at Wheatland. They have re.
served all their energy to condemn
a contract more stringent in its pro-
visions favorable to the state than any
ever before made in Wyoming. In fact
the contract they are now condemning
is the only one placing restrictions up
on a company not operating under the
Carey land act.
The Republican calls upon Mr.. Cor
thell to explain why he is condemning
in others that which ihe accepts as en-,
tirely right for himself or for a com
pany in which he is heavily interested
, In the discussion of the reservation
irrigation question, let's have a grain
of Mr.. Hamm's common honesty.
} Republicans of Albany county are
not apologizing for their ticket nor for
the record they have made in the past
dozen years. A vote for the republican
ticket has always been a vote for good
government and a reduction of the
county debt.
And now the poor old Boomerang has
discovered that Boss" Gramm has