Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1910-05-02
NOW FOR TEST OF UNCLE
SANS RECLAMATION WORK.
A Million Dollars to Be Collected From
Farmers for Water Riehts--But
Few Ahandonments.

Washington, D. c., May 2.-The
acid test of the practicability of all
the government reclamation work is
at hand. On April LIST there was due
and payable into the reclamation fund
from the settlers on the various pro
jects, approximately $1,000,000 for wa
ter rights If the farmers are able to
meet their payments, it evidences that
the government is able to secure re-
turn on its investment. If the pay
ments are not made, the law is fail
ure in one of its most important pro-
visions and the operations of the re-
c4amation service would quickly be
brought to an end
But careful canvass of the pro.
jects on which water rights charges
are due indicates that the settlers as
rule are able and willing to meet
them.
On the big North Platte project in
Wyoming and Nebraska there were
335 farms with charges due on April
1st. 1t is reported that 227 of them
paid up as early as last December and
of the remaining 10S the engineers in
the field estimate that not more than
ten will be likely to ba cancelled. Most
of those could relinquish at this time
at profit.
Even on the Truckee-Carson pro-
ject in Nevada where conditions have
been as unfavorable as any could be,
the reports show few delinquencies.
On the Okanogar and Sunnyside pro-
ject in Washington, the Shoshone in
Wyoming and the Huntley and Sun
river in Montana, it is predicted that
every farmer will meet his Obliga-
tionS.
The payment of their Indebtedness
by those farmers will probably be
the most important single event in the
history of national irrigation. There
never has been any doubt as to the
competency of the engineers to con-
struct the projects, but doubt has been
expressed as to whether the govern
ment could get it's money back. The
dollars of the successful farmers in
the districts will be the answer and
the vindicatiOn of the reclamation
law.
There have been failures as it was
inevitable there should be, but the alb
solute failures and the abandonments
have been surprisingly few. In num-
erous instances those who under esti
mated the task or came without eXper
fence or sufficient funds were able tC
erous other instances many retired
with some gain, but the greatest mum
Der of failures was found among
those who took up the project never
intending to use them themselves, bu
to speculate for profits on bona fide
home makers who came later.
Where the reclamation service finds
that failure has been due to condi
tions not under control of the settler
it is possible that some way may be
found to protect his rights, but where
the evidence is that the settler has
made no effort to protect himself, he
! need expect no aid from the govern
ment The farmers who came to farm
however, are making good.
The crops produced on the irrigated
! lands operated by the water systems
of the government in 1909 had an esti
mated value of $14000,000 and the
land values increased not less thar
$105, 100000 as the result of the con
struction of the federal irrigation
works. The reclamation fund has
had more than $60,O00,OO0 under the
act and more than $4,500,000 are still
| in the treasury of the United State:
but not available.
The great question has been, will
the money come back? Indications
are that it will.