The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-05-06
RECLAMATION OF
GOVERNMENT LAND
Government viii Secure Returns on
Investment II Farmers Are
Able to Pay.
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
Washington, May THE acid test
OF the practieability OF all the govern.
ment reclamation work is at hand
On April list there was due and pay.
able into the reclamation fund from
the settlers on the various projects
approximately si,OOO,OO0 for water
rights. II the farmers are able 10
meet their payments, II evidences that
the government Is able to secure n
return on its investment. II the pay.
ments are not made. the law Is fail.
ure IN one Of it's most important pro.
visions and the operations OF the re.
clamation service would quickly be
brought to an end
But a careful canvass OF the pro.
iects 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
1886 farms with charges due on April
LIST. Il Is reported that 227 Of them
paid up as early az last December and
OF the remaining l0S the engineers III
the field estimate that not more than
ten viii be likely to be cancelled. Most
of those could relinquish at this time
at a profit.
Even on the Trckee-Carson pro.
ject In Nevada where conditions have
been as unfayorable as any could be
the reports show few delinkulncies.
the reports show few delinquencies.
On the 0kanogan and Sunnyside pro
jects in Washington the shoshone in
Wyoming and the Huntley and sun
river In Montana, It is predicted that
every farmer win meet his obliga.
tions.
The payment OF their indebtedness
by those farmers will probably be the
most important single event IN the his.
tory Of national irrigation There nev.
er has been any doubt as to the com
potency OF the engineers to construct
the projects, but doubt has been ex-
pressed 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 mum.
erous instances those who underesti.
mate the task or came without ex-
perienee or sufficient funds were able
TO retire without serious loss. In
numerous other Instances many re-
tired with some gain. but the greatest
number Of failures was found among
those who took mp the projects never
TO use them themselves. but
70 speculate for profits on bona iide
home makers who came later.
Where the reclamation service finds
that a failure has been due to condi-
tons not under control OF the settler
II is possible that some way may be
found 20 protect bis rights. but where
The evidence is that the settler has
made no effort 70 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
1f the government in 1909 had an es.
.lmated value Of $140O0.O00 and the
land values Increased not less than
sl05000 600 as the result Of the con
itrnction Of the federal irrigation
works. The reclamation fund has had
more than s60,OO0.0O under the act
more than s4.5OO.OO0 are still IN the
reasury OF the United States but not
lyallable
The great question has been. win
he money come back? Indications
ire that 1t viii