Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-04-14
IMPORTANCE OF IRRIGATION INTERESTS

we promised another without delay The latter the
Grants Pass Crescent City and this will have much to
do with the prosperity not only of this city, but large
share of the county south Of the Rogue River 1t will give
us an outlet to the and afford opportunity for low
rates freight by connection with steamers at Crescent
City The railroad situation at this point is very en-
couragng and the people alive to it's Importance but
Notwithstanding the fact that need railroads. and that
they will be great help to u.s. there is another thing that
will take first place in future development and that
is, more land under irrigation.
The people of this county paying out thousands Of
dollars annually for products that should be grown the
farms, but this is impossible until the agricultural lands
are put under water This well understood that
will not risk money labor the farm until they have
irrigation, and therefore, if would develop our coun
ty or build here city of any magnitude irrigation must
be fixed fact This statement cannot be gainsad and
no be found who will deny this broad assertion
1t much be apparent to most people that if to
complish anything along irrigation lines must work to-
gether We must have differences but strive to the
one common end that may gain results important to
the country and to the people generally While these
broad truths will be admitted everywhere nothing will
be accomplished unless united action taken which
will bring about the important end desired and therefore
let us look the situation and decide the policy best
calculated to bring success
Along about the first of the year it was determined by
the directors of the Josephine County Irrigation Pow
Co. to recommend an irrigation district and at the an
nua meeting of the stockholders of that company in Feb
ruary this proposition ndorsed and the directors in
structed to proceed with the organization In due time
the work was undertaken but it found difficult to
reach class of land holders who are nonresidents and
the result is that there has been much delay and to all
appearances the end may not be expected At the
time this work undertaken many of our farmers were
anxious to the district and it was naturally ex
peced that they would in every way help to bring about
the organization Little of this assistance has been real
lzed but on the contrary quite number of this class
have been active in opposition and far possible have
kept people from signing the petition which was to be
presented to the court asking that an election be held and
the preliminary steps taken to bring about district
ganizaton
In view of the fact that the fe it were of the
ty and city, in part depends irrigation not way
be found to unite the people in this important matterY
Not all of farmers will have the courage to continue
to follow their calling unless water be put on their
land and it may be difficult to find other men who will
take their places This is an age when the irrigation
school master abroad in the land and he has taught men
the Importance of distributing moisture at stated inter
walls to insure the success of agriculture and it is useless
to expect those who have attended this school, to throw
away their time land that has not these advantages
and consequently follows that Josephine county farms
cannot hold their value without irrigation Not only are
the farmers interested in this matter but business men
of Grants Pass also The very foundation of commercial
pursuits rest on the prosperity of the farmers of the sur
rounding country We proud of business houses
and the large financial interests of the city and yet if r
rigaton should fail u.s. it would bring blight ON our most
important enterprises and the city would to go for
ward and it is not impossible that a backward step
would be the result These plain facts and some wise
men in our community may object to them but The Cour-
er, having the interest of both city and county at heart
feels called upon to make plain the conditions which con-
front those who are trying to develop the farms of the
county and business interests q this city Bv all means
let MS get together and look after our mutual interests
and as werc have mind and live to do our pa, in
that prosperity, which naturally belongs to us There is
an old MAXIM which applies here United we stand di
vided we fall"