East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-09-02

Sacramento, Sept. 2.-The princi-
pal feature of the Irrigation congress-
opening session was the address by
Gov. Chamberlain of oregon as fol-
lows:
We are here today to consider
again the problems of reclamation of
the semi-arid regions and the possi-
bilities of production of that region
when reclaimed.
The federal government has under
consideration and construction pro-
jects of reclamation in Arizona, Cali
fornia, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas Mon
-tana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico.
North Dakota, oregon, South Dakota,
Utah, Washington and Wyoming, COW
ering more than three million acres,
much of which is in private owner
ship and the balance owned by the
states and the United States. The
work entails the expenditure of vast
sums, but the money involved is a
lHrre bagatelle in comparison with
the benefits received and to be re-
ceived in providing homes for thou
sands and adding millions to the
wealth of the nation.
In addition to the work now being
done under government supervision,
contracts have been entered into with
private contractors for reclamation OF
large tracts of land in all the states
which have accepted the provisions
of the Carey act. Some of these are
making favorable progress. My ex-
perience has been, however, that
whilst the government moves slowly
the work done by 1t is more substan-
tial and in the end better and more
lasting results are likely to be attain
ed. Besides, the element of profit
for the capital invested is eliminated.
The reason for the great difference
between the government estimates of
the cost of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and construction under private super
vision is to be found, If l mistake not,
in the fact that before entering upon
the work the government goes delib-
erately into thorough detail through
its engineering department and
reaches safe results on carefully pre-
pared estimates, whilst in cases of
the private contractor conclusions in
many cases are rather guessed at than
reched by mathematical and engineer
ing demonstration and failure, mis-
understanding and possible bank
ruptcy must be the fate of the en-
terprise.
One of the splendid features of the
reclamation act (and the same is
true of the Carey act as welD is that
there is a very limited opportunity for
the operations of the land grabber.
How unfortunate for our country
that greater care was not used in the
disposition of the public domain in
the past l do not believe in con-
fiscation. I am not a believer In
lawlessness. But 1t seems to me that
in view of the revelations of the past
few years as to the methods which
ings of the most valuable of the pub
| lie lands by corporations and indi-
viduals, some vigorous and effective
| method ought to be devised to restore
the wealth of mine, forest. field and
farm and the water on and under the
earth to the people who have been
robbed of them by corrupt land pi-
rates, individual and corporate. BY
| crooked manipulation of the acts in
tended for the benefit of the actual
settler and the homebuilder, through
the rascalities perpetrated in and out
of congress in the name of indemnity
selection laws, individuals and corpo-
rations have acquired millions of the
best timber and farm lands in all OF
these western states.
Nor must 1t be forgotten that rail-
road and other corporations have ac-
ouired, in addition to the lands OBJ
tained through the instrumentality OF
the acts referred to. millions of acres
to aid in the construction of alleged
railroads and military wagon roads. II
nerly all of these cases the lands sc
acquired are withheld from sale
some time in vialation of the express
terms of the grants, and always tc
the retardation of industrial. com
mercial and agricultural development
of the states. Why would It not b.
within the scope of the duties of thi'
splendid body of representative citi
zens to call the attention of the peo
Pile to to these conditions, and II pos
sible to suggest some means for thei
correction?
It is true that the federal authori