The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1911-11-16

Through 10 motives Of personal ami
mostly, or any desire for controversy,
the Recorder has been impelled to
take part in considerable campaign OF
publicity for the reputed Settlers and
/ Water Users organization launched at
Gooding. The Recorder is somewhat
of a pioneer in Carey Act matters.
The editor has filed on two Carey Act
claims, and it has been interested in
several others. Every business associ-
ate or employe of the Recorder, and
the Recorder editor, for the past five
years, has been a Carey Act land
holder, directly or indirectly 1t is not
without some knowledge at first hand
that the Recorder as a Carey Act land
owner discusses the question as brought
up by Attorney Stafford, of Gooding,
president of the Water Users Associ-
alton.
An article recently appeared in the
Capital News, as an interview with
Mr. Stafford, who is a possible
candidate for a district Judgeship.
The article was repubhshed in The
Recorder of November End. 1t states
among other things, that water, in the
Idaho Irrigation Company canals, was
not turned on at all in 1910 until the
middle of May, and then not in suf-
ficient quantities to raise crops. In
answer to the first, the Recorder Of
April 2S, 1910, states that full head
of water was turned through all the
canals on April 2, while water was
actually furnished. several days earlier.
AS between the Recorder statement,
being that Of an association Of men
vitally interested in Carey Act irri-
cation in a way other than that of col
lecting fees for agitation, and the
statement of Attorney Stafford on the
other hand, the public may choose.
AS to the second statement, the fact
that the Idaho Irrigation Company ex
hibit, raised exclusively on their irri-
gated lands, carried off an unparalleled
lot of prizes at Boise, Seattle, Spo-
kane. Council Bluffs and then set a
new record for successful advertising
throughout the East, should be part of
its own answer Not even Mr.. Stat
ford could deny the wonderful showing
all made under the alleged failure
to deliver water to produce crops.
The people of Gooding have suffered (
more through the agitation of /
town farmers, than through any failure
% deliver water. If any one wants to
Snow how the Recorder editor knows
about Gooding, he can inquire into the
Early history Of that town.
If it be criminal to rob man of a
lolar, or of his good name, or any
article of value, it is infinitely more SO
o rob whole community, consisting
# several thousand people. 1t would
lot be possible to say how much Of the
downfall of Gooding is due to unwise
litigation and agitation. But it is self
vident that the bitter feuds there
ave lost the community what once
romised to be the leading place on the
nap of idaho. There have been many
flood water" rights filed on the Big
Wood River, near Gooding; several
ines the extreme dry season flow Of
ny year ever known there. When the /
daho Irrigation Company began to
tore water in its reservoir, these
laimants have claimed this stored
Tater as their flood water" and have {
gitated to destroy the value of the
rights. Though the
-ater furnished by the company in !
31O was far more than sufficient for !