The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-02
Question of Feasibility of Law
Is Whether Farmers Can
Meet Obligations.
INDICATIONS ARE THAT
DEBT CAN BE LIQUIDATED
Settlers Show Themselves Able
and Willing to Meet Govern
ment Requirements.

WASHINGTON, May 1.-The acid test
of practicability of all the government
reclamation work is at hand. On April
there was due and payable into the
reclamation fund from the settlers on the
various projects. approximately $1,000
600 for water rights. If the farmers are
able 10 meet their payments, 1T evidences
that the government is able to secure a
return on Its investment If the pay
ments are not made. the law ia a failure
In one Of its most important provisions
and the operation Of the reclamation
service would quickly be brought to all
end.
But q careful canvass OF the projects
on which water rights charges are due
indicates thnt the settlers, as q rule, are
able and willing to meet them.
On tho big North Platte project in
Wyoming and Nebraska there were 33E
farms with charges due on April l. II
is reported that 227 OF these paid up as
early as last December and of the re-
naming 10s the engineers in the field
estimate that not moro than ten will be
could relinquish at this time at profit
Will Meet Obligations.
Even on the Truckee- Carson project ir
Nevada where conditions have been as
unfavorable as any could be. the reports
show few delinquencies. On the Okla
hogan and Suunyside projects In Wash
ington, the Shoshone in Wyoming and the
Huntey and Sun River In Montana, 1t Is
predicted that every farmer will meet
his obligations.
those farmers Will probably be the most
important single event in the history oi
national irrigation. There never has
been any doubt as to the competency OF
ila
but doubt has been expressed as to
whether the government could get It's
money back. The dollars OF the success
fm farmers in the districts will be the
answer and the Findicauon oil The reclar
nation law.
There have been failures as 1t was
Inevitable there should be, but the alb
soute failures and the abandonments
ous instances those who undercstimated
the task or came without experience or
sufficient funds were able to retire with
out serious loss. In numerous other in
stances many retired with some gain.
but the greatest number OF failures was
found among those who took up the pro-
iects never intending To use them them
selves. but 10 speculate for profits on
bona fidc home makers who came later.
To Protect Settler.
Where the reclamation service finds
that a failure has been due 10 conditions
not under control OF the settler. IL is
possible that some way mao be found To
protect his rights. but whore the evidence
is that the settler has made no effort
TO protect himself. lie need expect no aid
from the government. 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 Sl4,000,000 and the land
values increased not less than sl0o,oO0,- ..
600 as tho result OF tho construction OF
the federal irrigation works. The recla-
nation fund has had more than $50 00o.
600 under the oct and more than $500. =
600 is still in the treasury OF the United
States bur not available.
The great question has been: "Wili the
money come back?" Indications are that
IL Will.