Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-07-03
NEW |RR|CAT|ONPLAN
Farmers to Aid Government In
 RecIaiming Arid Lands.
DIG OWN BRANCH CANALS.

How Settlers and Engineers co-op-
 crate In Big Enterpriss--system Aids lnPromoting Harmony and Hurryins Completion of Tasks In Hand.
 A new step in the extension of the huge government works for the recla- nation of the arid western lands that has recently been introduced with ev- cry prospect of added success is CO., operation between the farmers and the United States engineers, by which the former dig their own branch canals, bringing the water to their lands so much the earlier.
 The first tryout of the plan is in the Minidoka irrigation project in Idaho, where the farmers have undertaken to excavate 890,000 cubic yards of earth in the extension of lateral ditches. All that the farmer has to have is a team of horses and strong back, and it en- ables those who have gone west with little money to get substantial start. The work is paid for in certificates of ten dollar denominations, which the government agrees to accept in pay ment for water rights.
 c. J. Blanchard. statistician of the United States reclamation service, in passing through Chicrso the other day on his way west, where he will take official cognizance of the results of the first years tilling of the erstwhile bar ren lands, told of the benefits, says the Chicago Post, that already have fol lowed the cooperative plan and of the results assured from its extension.
 "The immediate work which the gov ernment is able to perform in the prosecution of the general irrigation plan will be increased one-third," said Mir. Blanchard, by allowing the farm CTS who have settled these new lands to turn in their labor instead of their money.
 While the government has a S40,- C00000 fund invested in this reclama- tion undertaking, a large sum in the aggregate, but none too big when spread over the large field of opera tions, the limit of capacity has been nearly reached, so that the work can progress in certain directions only as fast as the money returns to the fund from those sections where the irriga- tion enterprises have been completed and the settlers have begun to repay in annual installments the cost of the works. ..--
 But while the original plan contem- plated the prosecution of all the work by the government forces, to be paid for by the benef1ciaries fin the follow ing ten years, the gain is so much greater when the people most inter- ested can step in and actually do part of the work. The farmers gain be cause in many instances they can give their services better than make money payments, and they get the water just so much sooner.
 Tt must be understood at the outset that the government does not issue the certificates with which the water users are paid for their work. The govern ment accepts certificates for the work performed, but they are issued by an incorporated association of the water users themselves. s-..ea
 This question came up in Washing ton at the time that the currency meas ure was under consideration. and be- fore the system was explained the question was asked. What is the use of the currency bill if tho government can issue scrip?
 "In the Minidoka project there are some 25,000 to 30.000 acres that will be watered now by the cooperative method. The plan has recently been in- troduced in the Milk river project fin Montana. where an area equally large will he watered in the same way.
 "The government in this matter has followed the precedent established by many private irrigation companies. which have found the plan eminently