The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-10
DEL|NQUENC|ES
Of GOV. BRADY
His InattentiOn While the State
Land Board Crafts and
Negleects.
THE LOST RIVER CASE
A GROSS IMP0STURE
People Had to Call i'm an En-
gineer From California
for Protection.
BY. C.. E. ARNEY,
special TO The Tribune.

IDAHO FALLS. Ida, Aug. 9.-Through-
out all this vast irrigation district the
attention of the people is interestedly
riveted on the management OF 1daho's
public land affairs by the state admins
tratlon Men who think and those awake
70 the necessities OF the present as a
base for tho future are exercising an
unusual concern over the revelations OF
tho past few months in the published
records OF the state land board at Boise.
The one redecming feature of the pres
cnt governor and chairman in his pub
lishcd declarations OF condemnation of
his associates on the board because of
their speculation in Carey act lands un-
der their official supervision, turns TO
rdiculc when his own shortcomings are
laid bare before the suspicious public,
He was chairman OF the board during
all the period of tho populations OF his
associates, which ne now presumes To
condemn. He sat in the meetings of the
Carey act projects TO n company i'll which
one OF his associates deputies was in
terestcd. He voted AYE" In fixing the
price OF water for this shady transaction
AT $e5 per acre. If he did not know that
these members OF his official household
were making these questionable invest
ments. II was his own deficiency. The
records OF his state land board were at
hand, and in Difference To the ordinary
business acumen which characterizes
vigllant servants OF the people. he should
have known of the transactions.
The record, however, is against the
sourccful governor and chairman. His
Justification OF his attitude In the prem
ises will not stand the limelight OF pub
lie opinion.
Not until hc was forced by the Church
investigation did he step into the breach
and declare his opposition TO this plan
Of operation by which members of the
a t41 l.f1 Id hna ard rin la 10,
lands and to city lots under Carey acts.
over which the law requires them To pre-
side the determining agency.
Governor Brady moved along In his Sc
rene, apnthctic manner. utterly dense TO
the questionable methods being pursued
.,by his associates on the board. Sccre-
cary Lansdon. Attorney General McDou-
gall and Superintendent Chamberlain.
Only when the people became agitated
80 a degree that lie feared the result of
his own political destruction did he come
out with proieSscd condemnation OF the
sorry practice.
His Great Delinquency.
Had not Mr. Church been overtakeu by
public opinion in revolution against his
nlethod of procedure, which was tame in
SS39mPhrison to The plan OF operation OF
voice of James II. Brady would never
have uttered one word of resentment TO
ihe requirements OF these members.
Apropos to this situation, as chairman
Of the board of state land commissioners
lac retained at his post of duty on the
Mackay dam an agent Of his engineering
force days, weeks and months, and to-
tally ignored his almost daily reports 10
the effect that a construction contract
was being grossly violated day after
day.
Totally impervious. entirely rccreant to
the supremacy of the law. he neglected
his duty. leaving 1t TO the community
nearest the scene Of the inefficient con-
Siruction to employ an engineer from an
other state TO come into Idaho and ex
pose 10 The humiliated people of this
criminal negligence OF the board Of which
he was and Is the chairman.
Day after Gay. according TO the state
mcnt OF Superintendent Chamberlain TO a
mass meeting OF Mackay on August 5.
copies OF ths efficient Carey act engi-
were laid on the table of Chairman Brady
and his associate members and day by
day he passed them by, permitting the
contractors 10 proceed In violation OF the |
specifications FOR this construction.
Rcgulariy each month lie sat in juIg- |
ment ~ chairman OF the state board of
the salary OF this engineer (sl5O a month. !
bclievel 10 be paid out of the Idaho |
Carey act fund.
The engineer was performing his duty |
work and pointing out by reports to the |
state engineer the departure Of the con- |
Struction company from the letter and the !
spirit of the contract with the state OF
Idaho.
The reports Of this assistant engineer |
could but prepare any alert mind for |
ihe eruption which must come sooner or
later
That il might have been postponed was |
the evident hope Of the rccreant. That the |
days Of thc return Of the verdict of that |
great Idaho jury might pass by before |
The real condition came to light was GER
taiuly the morbid hope Of these three |
state officials. who claim Endorsement at
the ballot box not once. but thrice.
II may be the delay in exposure and |
the bridlcd condition of the press of the /
state will prevent the incident from de- |
fcatiug the ambitions Of these three can !
dldatos for nomination at the Republican |
primaries 60 be held on August Is.
The state Is large IN area and spa rscly |
settled. There Is slight facilities OF com |
municution between the north and the |
south of Idaho The location OF the ex- |
ample Of their neglect. the big Lost river |
dam. is in the center of the state, AT The |
end Of branch line eighty miles OF y |
main line OF road. not easy Of access
The Incident Is not being handled 10y |
the newspapers OF the state. and the rca-
son FOR II gives one political pain.