The Washington times., 1909-06-21
Western Land Owners Dis
heartened by Decision of
Attorney General.
MANY HOLD LAND
ON SLIM CHANCE
Despite Discouragement, Settlers
Remained in Hope that Gov
eminent Would Help.

Acting under the direction of an elab-
crate opinion by Attorney General
Wickersham, the Interior Department
has reversed one Of the most important
parts Of the Roosevelt Administration $
policy IN the management Cf irrigation
and reclamation works.
Western members Of Congress, gov
errors Of States, Legislatures, water
users associations, and many thousands
OF people who are concerned about the
development OF new reclamation prof.
ects or the completion OF old ones. are
deeply concerned because of the new
conditions which this reversal OF IN old
policy imposes upon the whole business
Of reclamation.
Incident TO this new policy's Inaugural
ton, 1t develops that for some time
there has been a growing impression
that the method of financing the recla-
nation works needed some reoTganiza-
ton. The Government, 1t is declared,
has undertaken mole work of this kind
than it can carry on expeditiously or
satisfactorily with the funds now in
hand. II has spread out its operations
IN so many places that the money avail
able has been too largely spent before
any revenues could begin TO come in
from the works.
Provision of Act
The reclamation act provided that the
original appropriation should be invest
ed in reclamation works. The money
received from sale Of lands and from
leases of water rights for these lands,
was 10 90 back into the funds, and be
made available for carrying on new
projects. It develops that the delays
about making the completed or partly
completed projects return revenues.
have been such that there Is a shortage
OF funds and delay about completing
works
The enterprise of settlers in home
stealing arid lands adjacent TO reclama-
ton projects, has caused the difficulty.
AS soon as the Government has under
taken TO carry out a pig project in ir-
rigatiOn. people have hocked into the
territory which is to be placed under
water. homesteaded or bought up the
lands, and proceeded to occupy them in
anticipation Of the time when, with the
water turned on. they should be valu-
able Many OF the ''sOoners" have wait
ed for years for their water, struggling
against all the conditions Of life in a
desert or semi-desert country, in the eff
fort to preserve their holdings against
the time when they should become vaiu-
able.
1t proved utterly useless to warn peo-
pie OF the troubles they might bring
upon themselves by this course. They
were willing 10 take the chances OF the
long wait PrivauOn and much suffer-
ing have resulted.
When Mr.. Garfield was Secretary of
the Interior his attention was called
forcibly to these conditions, and in
connection with Director F. II. Newell,
Of the reclamation service, he worked
out scheme OF cooperation between
the settlers and the Government for
Fastening the completion of certain
projects. so that the settlers could get
water This scheme was in substance
that when the Government had not
enough money In the reclamation fund
10 do certain work the settlers inter
ested should organize water users assO-
cations, through which they should CO.
operate. A water users association
should raise as much money as pos
.slble, and IN addition was given the
privilege of contributing the labor of
rs members, under the directtsa and
arrangement Of the Government en-
Eineers and overseerss 10 carry on the
projects. The Government in certain
eases undertook to contribute as much
ploney as the water users association
should duplicate. and also 10 permit the
ne money and labor the water users
association was 10 receive certificates
Nhlch should be, IN the hands Of
water users after the project was com
pleted, a title 10 the use of water al
reduced rates. Thus a water users
association contributing S125, 900 cash and
$4,000 IN labor would receive 1900
worth Of these certificates, and the Ger
tffcates were as good as cash in pay
ment OF water rentals after the project
had been completed and the settlers
kaud was under water
Settlers Organize.
Under this scheme the settlers or
gained and there was every indication
that excellent results would be secured
The plan interested the people In the
Government work as nothing else could
DO. Il made them copartners with the
Government in the projects. Among the
associations thus organized were the
Strand Valley (COl.) Water Users As
ISOLATION and the North Platte CNeb)
Water Users Association. Contracts
we're made with both Of these. as has
1sen explained.
tSecretary Of the Interior BalIinger
SAD doubts, when he inherited the re-
8pOnsi bilitfes OF these contracts about
% Attorney General Wickersham. In
4 lengthy and careful opinion the latter
analyses the Grand Valley contracts
and the reclamation act and finds that
the contract Is entirely without the
authority Of the law, and Of no force
whatever.
The people who had hoped in this way
TO expedite the time when their lands
would become productive are much
dishcaTtened The delegations from
Nebraska and Colorado are making
business active at the Interior Depart
ment. authorities are trying 70 figure
out a way 20 carry out some similar
project; and next winter the Mountain
.-f=4e 1eieeafiens Will make determined
40
the law under which better conditions
NAV be- Introduced