The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1909-12-23

these purchases to which you refer. or
even that some graft was involved
(which cannot be shownl what would
Ne the result?
This would not relieve you OF one
dollar OF expense. Whether the mol
ey has beer properly or Improperly
expended, you must pay u back. rms
point was brought out again ana
again In speeches OF the members or
the irrigation committee. Apparently
each senator bccnmc more and more
firmly convinced In his own mind tha'
ruch charges were inspired largely nv
the hopcs of rcpuiia'ing Just dues
am In no way authorized u speak Tor
the senators. but simply state the re-
suit Of listening To many speeches and
public conversations.
Responsibility.
You state further that ] am the
head OF the department vested WITH
the responsibility and power OF I'M
pos,ng this added cost To the poor
homcsteader." This quotation Illus
trates how little effect was producer
by my talk. by the talk OF practically
avery officer OF the service, ana o'
letters and other information seht
out. am not the head Of the de-
partmcnt. but am an executive oiicer'
under the secretary OF the Interior
netting By direct instructions and un'
der authority usually given carh
year on the ist day of January. April,
, July and October. No man IN vested
with the responsibility and power of
! imposing this added cost" This Is
condition which Is governed by law.
, as interpreted by the attorney gen
, erai. or by the courts. II is matter
, not Of discretion Of any one man. but
, OF following the terms OF the law.
, Your further question whether
regarded my life work as success is
, answered In the Affirmative. nave
: devoted ever twenty-one years 10 !,
study OF the water resources OF the
|. West. and opportunities OF reclamn'
, tion. I consider myself as being very
fortunate In being among the men en-.
gagged In the planning and building ~
, some OF the largest and best 'rrlsh'
|, ton systems In existence. ] may NV"
: to see all OF them completed. Durins
my lifetime ! do not expect that the
works will reach their full utility "a
/, the people OF the United States, but
no man can trnthfully say that the
works laid out at klamath Falls are
not success!
=, Payments for Property.
You state that Il Is pointed out by
men OF superior intelligence and
strength OF character among us that
: far too much was paid" for certain
|, properties.
These men "of superior intelligence
and strength OF ca aracter" You do not
: name, but Il IL evident that these men
, have not taken the trouble to ascer-
tain the facts.
Every other citizen Of the country
, well knew the terms Of purchase OF
. these various properties before the
, contracts were made. These were
: discussed publicly through many
= months and were published In the
r newspapers, appearing, for example.
4 In the klamath Falls ExprS, OF
June 10, 1905. They were reprinted
|, In a pamphlet widely distributed by
the Water Users association. Dur
I ing all this time, when these terms
were under discussion publicly. no
man objected to them. although many
r letters were written In regard to tho
, subject. There was not single un-
favorable comment upon the prices
I or terms. On the contrary. almost
, every individual In the community
, devoted his energies to urging US tO
close up the matter and get to work
4 as soon as possible.
| Abel Ady, alone. after the matter
was practically completed. made
vague charge, which he retracted on
. March I, 1906. and stated he had not
, intended
ito charge directly or indirectly.
or to intimate In any way that
there were Irregularities. fraud or
graft or cOllusiOn on the part OF the
service or the Water Users asso-
citation, in connection with any pur-
chases or proposed purchases of
any cana! or other property to be
used for the klamath project; nor
did he now believe that there was
anything OF the kind In any way
Connected herewith, and that he
would have been willing to have
agreed to pay double the amount
agreed upon for the canals to save
q years delay In the construction
OF tho project"
This is a matter OF public record,
and II will be q pleasure at any time
to me and to others to have all Of
these matters discussed In the most
complete manner.
The assertion thai Abel Ady had
In option on the Carr ranch at $780,
600 Is 10 palpably absurd that 1t IL
not worthy II discussion
In regard to the adjustment OF the
Upper Unit, the letter of September
29th from Mr.. Morris Bien discusses
this point. He brings out, ~ have