East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-05-29


others that / only wanted the attor-
neyship in big legal battle; but they
saved he property, still held by the
thrifty farmers who own the land, to
which It is in effect appurtenant; and
has proved to be, without exception,
the most successful private enterprise
Of the kind In the state, representing
water rights for 10000 acres of land,
for which Its stockholders, year or
two, insisted, II taken by the govern
ment when contemplating a project
in that vicinity, was worth one-half
million dollars.
How Values Increase.
Lands there now range in value
from $50 to $500 per acre, while cul-
tivated and improved farms are cul-
dom worth less than 500 per acre.
An owner of an 80-acre improved
farm, purchased near there, in 1895,
for $4,000, refused last year $4,000
for the same farm. You see while l
was an enthusiast In those days was
still below par, and / doubt not, there
are many within the hearing of my
voice who will prove to be as poor
prophet In respect to values here as
| did there on the occasion named.
The lands which now look rugged,
lifeless and uninviting will soon con-
stitute the homes Of the prosperous
farmers to finance those two follow.
The borrower OF today will become the
money lender Of the next decade.
Every dollar advanced by the water
consumer In support of the reclama-
ton work now completed will return
with ten, and that within but few
years.
l know Of no place where land
should enhance in value more than
here. You have the climate and the
soil. Your altitude is sufficient to let
you escape the drenching rains of the
coast and yet sufficiently low to es-
cape the winter blasts Of other sec-
tions east of the Cascades You have
more sunshine during every year, by
many days, than California's boasted
climate. Your maintenance fee Is but
nominal.
Gateway Of the West.
And added to this is the fact that
you are at the gateway of the COM
mercial west. Passing through your
fertile valleys, and along its borders,
are two great railway lines, while the
never-ceasing Columbia, with its al
ways navigable waters, rolls along
your northern boundary, insuring at
all times such competition as will pro-
tect you from exhorbitant rates.
Navigable waters are always the
friend to commerce. They are the
natural enemy OF the transportation
trusts But one company can oper-
ate railway line, except by consent
of its owners. while as many as de-
| sire can traverse, with their vessels,
the navigable streams without fear of
interference or injunction, and by
their competition furnish transporta-
tion to the markets of the world at
the lowest rates.
Combined with all these advantages
you have the beneficient aid Of the
government, with its strong arm,
through its efficient and patriotic Of
ficers, as its agents, advancing the
money for. and supervising the con-
struction Of, an irrigation system to
your very doors. You are given an
unusual time In which to pay an un-
usual loan, and that, without interest,
all to be extracted from the produce
Of the soil to be reclaimed.
A Benificient Government.
But a few years ago one of the
political parties of the nation advo-
Gated per cent loans by the govern
ment to the farmers, with which to
harvest their crops and to carry on
other enterprises. This theory was de-
nounced by many as paternal and soci-
alistic; but the world moves and with
-out even the 2 per cent interest you
are furnished the money with which
to prepare the land through an irriga-
ton system, for its future productive
ness, with the further privilege of
paying on the installment plan.
What more could be asked? What
greater privilege could be granted?
In response many suggestions no
doubt could be made, but let us be
thankful for the favors at our COM
mand, and prove our worthiness of
further aid by standing together for
the success of the projects construct
ed as well as those now under con-
temptation.
l often feel that we-the citizens of
the arid west-do not manifest the
appreciation of the opportunities af-
forded us by the reclamation act that
we should. Our failure in this re-
spect is shown by the inaction of our
state with reference to its irrigation
laws. The government can control
its public lands and unappropriated
waters; 1t can furnish the money and
can construct its reservoirs and ca
nails; but 1t must, to large extent
at least, look to the states in which
1t operates for the laws to protect its
property; the question as to what are
unappropriated waters must as a
rule, be determined in courts and
under the laws within the state.
Laws Needed.
Much legislation is therefore need
ed to supplement the reclamation act
and to complete the few steps in that
direction heretofore made. This Is
especially true If we expect the gov
ernment to operate in many other
sections of our state where large
tracts Of land are under private own
ership. .,ShDH
Here the problem was less difficult
of l,,o - hA nj nf v1rt