The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1910-01-20
PRESIDENT REQUESTS RELIEF
Says Reclamation Project Sett
lers Should Be Honorably
Dealt With.

Project settlers throughout the west
have been anxiously awaiting news of
relief measures, which have been prom
ised through various mediums for
long time. The greatest hope was
given birth by the visit of the senate
rial committee last fall and the follow
ing extract from President Taft's last
special message to his congress tends
to prove that he too, has come to know
the urgent need of common sense treat
ment of the governments project sett-
lers.
"But there are millions of acres Of
completely arid land in the public do
main which by the establishment of
reservoirs for the storing Of water and
the irrigation of the lands may be
made much more fruitful and product
i've than the best lands in a climate
where the moisture comes from the
clouds.
Congress recognized the Importance
Of this method of artificial distribution
of water on the arid lands by the pass
age of the Reclamation Act. The pro-
ceeds of the public lands created fund
to build the works decided to store and
furnish necessary water and it was left
to the Secretary of the Interior to de-
termine what projects should be Sc
lected among those suggested and to
direct the Reclamation Service, with
the funds at hand and through the en-
gneers in the Department. employ to
construct the works.
No one can visit the far West and
the country of arid and semi-arid lands
without being convinced that this is
one of the most important methods of
conservation of our natural resources
that the Government has entered upon.
1t would appear that over thirty prof.
ects have been undertaken and that = a
few of these are likely to be unsuc-
cessful because of the lack of watar zor
for other reasons, but generally the
work which has been done has Aheen
done well and many important engin-
eering problems have been met and
solved.
One difficulty which has arisen is that
too many projects in view of the avail
able funds, have been set on foot. The
funds available under the reclamation
statute are inadequate to complete
these projects within reasonable time.
And yet the projects have been begun;
settlers have been invited to take up,
and in many instances have taken up,
land within the projects, relying upon
their prompt completion.
The failure to complete the projects
for their benefit, is in effect, a breach
of faith and leaves them in most dis
tressing condition.
l urge that the nation ought to afford
means to lift them out of very
desperate condition in which they are
now. This condition does not Indicate
any excessive waste or any corruption
on the part of the reclamation service.
1t only indicates an over-zealous desire
to extend the benefit of reclamation to
as many acres and as many states as
possible. | recommend, therefore, that
authority to issue not exceeding $780,
900, 600 of bonds from time to time, as
the secretary of the interior shall find
it necessary, the proceeds to be applied
to the completion of projects already
begun and their proper extension, and
the bonds running ten years or more,
to be taken up by the proceeds of re-
turns, to the reclamation fund, which
returns, as the years go on, will inoreae
rapidly in amount.
There is no doubt at all that if these
bonds were to be allowed to run ten
years the proceeds from the public
lands, together with the rentalt for
water furnished through the completed
enterprises, would quickly create a
sinking fund large enough to fetire
the bonds within the time specified. !
hope that while the Statute shall pro-
vide that these bonds are to be paid
out of the Reclamation Fund, it will be
drawn in such way as to secure in
terest at the lowest rates, and the
credit of the United States will be
pledged for their redemption.
l urge consideration of the recon-
mendations of the Secretary of the In
terror in his annual report for amend
ments of the Reclamation Act propos-
ing other relief for settlers on these
projects.
But in connection with this subject
of securing revision of the land laws,
particularly those relating to with
drawal of lands, will be extremely diff
ficult of passage. according to WASH
ington dispatches. The president
sought to get Representative Mondell,
of Wyoming, chairman of the House
r