The Delta independent., 1909-10-22

have to colonize these tracts three
times before the settlers would stick.
The first settlers are reported moving
away from certain projects, having
gone to the limit of their endurance of
adverse conditions.
The settlement of irrigated lands
under tile strictly Government project
is not poor mans proposition. and
well TO do man will not go in where he
must bind himself to five years
residence on his land and ten years of
payments before patent will be granted
him. If the poor man, who may have
just enough money to carry him through
one season, is disappointed in the
delivery of water, as has been the case
he stands to lose all his investment.
He cannot leave his land without i'm
pairing the title or wholly forfeiting his
right to it. Without water he can
raise nothing of enough value to COM
pensate him even meagerly for the
effort of planting and harvesting. He
cannot borrow money on his land for
the title is not bis until ten years have
elapsed. Men of means will not go
into the Government zones of irrigation
on new lands, because there are oppor-
tunities so much better to be had. They
do not want to settle among the shacks
of disappointed population. The law
does not seem to have enough humanity
in it to apply successfully to the condi-
items that have arisen under Govern
ment irrigation. Although a man may
improve handsomely his entire farm.
still he must live on and on, tied to his
property for five years, and then he
must complete the payments for the
ten years.
The Carey Act. on the other hand,
was framed with the new conditions un-
derstood and appreciated. The i'm
provement of the land was the first
thing sought While giving settler
an abundance of time in which to get
established, 1t recognized the fact that
it is irksome to any man to be tied down
for period of years in one spot. The
best of US would grow impatient with
such an obligation hanging over US In
most of the states where the Carey
Act applies. if a man reclaims one
eight of his land by irrigation and plant
ing useful crop, and will live on it
thirty days with his wife, if married.
he may make final proof and secure a
patent to his holding The water con-
tract continues as an obligation. which
may be paid up at any time. He must
pay his proportion for maintenance, and
this requirement is sufficient stimulus
to complete reclamation of his farm.
The rapid development of lands under
the Carey Act, the high-class popula-
ton that has turned to farming under
irrigation, the substantial char acter of
improvements, the rapid growth of
beautiful towns, all justify the Iiberali-
ty of the Carey law. 1t would impose
no hardship on anyone il equally liberal
laws were made to apply under the
Reclamation projects of the Govern
ment. The fear of letting down the
bars has resulted in the imposition of
absurd and severe restriction. The pi-
oneers of early days did not endure
more of hardship than have many Of
the pioneers on tire new lands under
the Government projects during the
last FIVE years. 1t has been unfortu-
nate that there have been so many
changes of administration on the Gov
ernment irrigation work. 1t was in
the nature of things that many incom-
petents should be employed, that many
promises were made which could not be
kept, and that settlers relied on the
statements of irresponsible persons
connected with the work. The harvest
of disappointment has been great and
the worries and heart aches innumer-
able. Big men in the service have been
few, Notwithstanding it should have de-
manded the greatest of engineers and
the most capable of administrative ca
pacity. Perhaps the service has tried
to do too much The clamor of many
communities for the Government to
come in and construct great irrigating
systems has been listened to. to the
detriment of work already undertaken.
Any community with an understanding
of the history of the reclamation ser
vice to date will hesitate long and en-
haust other resources before tying up
with our Uncle Samuel, much as we
l.