The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-04-08

III 1/x1x
we have to develop and must neces
sarily protect.
The remarks that have been made
J here by Governor Brooks and Cover
nor Shafroth are SO entirely in line
with my thought that 1t is going tc
make 1t unnecessary for me to dwell
at any length upon the articulal
rights of individuals under the laws
Of our different states; but want
to say this much and that is, we OF
the west-I believe that l have come
the fartherest farther than any COVER
nor here to attend this conference
feel not only gratified, but proud of
the privilege Of being allowed to
assemble here with you gentlemen of
the east, so we can look you in the
eye and explain to you in heart-to-
heart talk what our resources are,
what our development is to be in the
future, as we hope, and what our
honest intentions are relative to those
resources. We believe in the con-
esrvation of every resource We be-
lieve that the resources such as arid
lands. water powers, forests, coal
lands and all other natural resources
of that character unqualifiedly should
be for the benefit of the states in
which those natural resources are To-
Gated.
l am frank to say-and my friend
from the west will tell you the same
thing-that We expected to vnd here
disposition to criticise our attitu e
We expected to find here dispositi Il
to antagonize us in the Iyan of state
development of our natural resources,
but, much to our qualification. we
shall go back and tell our people IN
the mountains and on the plains tn
the governors of the east believe we
are right in the position we take,
for you have stated your position be-
fore us candidly and frankly.
Again, We have In the west some
principles that must necessarily pre-
vail in order to protect each and every
citizen. Water is worth just exact
ly what man has to pay for it. As
an illustration: l built a canal above
this gentlemans state (referring to
Governor Spry's tsate) in the valley
called the Snake river valley. had
~, 900 inches of water in the canal.
That 10000 inches irrigated 100000
acres of land and furnished the water
to produce ample crops on 100000
acres of land. l sold that 10000
inches of water at dollar an inch,
or total sum of $4,000 per annum,
for the water for this 10000 acres
of land. Right down in Pocatello
theer Is company that appropriated |
all the water there, which is $50
inches and our people pay annually, |
or did pay annually to the company
$4,000 a year for the use of that |
$50 inches of water. You will I'M
derstand, then, water is worth just |
exactly what you must pay for it, for
you must have it in order to exist.
Such being the case, it is very essen
tial that each and every individual be
protected in his rights, and, in order
to secure such protection, our laws
are so enacted that each and every in
dividual is protected. When a man
wants to take water out of a stream
he files an application with the state
engineer saying how many inches of
water he wants to use. To illustrate
% you who may not understand it full
ly, will say it requires from y to
inch of water to the acre to properly
lrrigate. The applicant files his ap-
plication with the state engineer, the
state engineer examines the records
to see whether there is any filing in
and, IL not, the application
s allowed, and If there is man who
las filing in conflict, he comes in
md makes his proof and the engineer
decides which one has the prior right.
After this is done the canal is built,
Ind the water taken down through
he canal. and then through these
Inherent arms or arteries, which are
quilt out over each and every farm,
Ind to these farms is distributed this
water to grow every crop that is
crown IN that country.
We have every advantage you have
lere, with the additional advantage
hat we do not have any failure of ,
'rops. 1t is practically impossible to
lave any failure of crops where you .
because you get your water
When and how you want it. When !
'ou want water, the commissioner
ONES and raises your gate, the water
turned into the lateral, and when .
ou have enough, you notify the COM .
missioner and the gate is shut down
nd the water goes on to the next
rm. And SO on all the way along
he canal, until every farm in the
alley is watered.
1t makes, you might say, a COM
lunitV of interastS II ma Loc ovarv