Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1908-01-31
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Senator's Hepburn and Borah Work,
ing on Questions Of Interest
to the State.

During the past week Senator
Borah has had several conferencesV
with Secretary Garfield and Director
Newell OF the reclamation service,
in an effort to secure some measure
of relief for settlers on the Minldoka
tract. Numerous requests haye
come to the senator from represent
ative men on that tract asking his
cooperation along various lines.
The one matter that seems to del
mand the greatest attention has toy
do with passing of title to the set
tier, and while giving no little time
to all phases of the irrigation ques-
ton, Senator Borah has during the
week concentrated his efforts on a
possible satisfactory solution of .he
title problem. The Department has
determined that settlers on irrigated
tracts can make final proof at the
end of five years residence, If all
water payments are made. 1t is
represented to Senator Borah by
many settlers that this will not lift
all their burden, and that additional
legislation is necessary. 1t is point
ed out that many of the settlers OH
the north side will have lived there
four years before having received
water, and it was declared unreason-
able to expect them in one years
time to pay out on their water con-
tract.
From the tract comes requests
that law be enacted permitting the
settler on making proof of five years
residence, that some sort of title
shall pass to him from the govern
ment, subject to unpaid water dues
on which he can secure a,loan.
Senator Boran is satisfied some
just and equitable solution can be
arrived at, and IS givlng the matter
much attention and thought. He
feels sure some plan can be devised
that will protect the settler and Sc
cure the government against loss OF
entanglements. lie is working the
matter out along several lines and
hopes to soon be in position to pre-
sent some plan that will be entirely
acceptable to the government and
wholly satisfactory to the settlers.
One of the most important meas.
ures introduced in the present con.
gress, SO far as Idaho is concerned,
Is Senator Heyburn's bill providing
for the setting aside by the federal
, government of a million acres oil
land to be irrigated by private cap
ital under the direction of the State
Land Board under the law common
ly known as the Carey Act. 1t is /;
singular fact that while some of th,
: public land states have not takel
advantage Of this law, Idaho has al
most exhausted her quota of ON
million acres, the amount named il
the original law that each stat
would be allowed to irrigate unde
: contract with private indiYidnals o
corporations. Since the wonderful
success that has been attained by tn
Twin Falls Land ~ Water Compan,
in disposing of the water rights ha
become known numerous other pro
iccts have been launched In Idaho
and many others are under contem
plation. If this bill is not enaete
into law these contemplated pre-
jects will necessarily have 10 b
. abandoned, and the state will b
: deprived of the advantages accruin
= from the expenditure of several mi
! ! lions of dollars in building canal'
reservoirs and dams, and the NAL
= ing Of homes for thousands of peopl,
L
.. D. The rapidity with which the Ian
has been settled and placed on th
le tax list under the TWIN Falls prc