The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-11-29
STATE NEWS WITH
GUS OWN COMMENT
Continued from first page.)

interest than private concerns. The ex.
penditure of such sum under com
petent management would certainly in.
sure the installation of the works at q
lower figure than has been done II
the past. 1t is assumed here for The
present purpose that the expenditure
of the money would be attended by
no political jobbery, log-rolling or ex.
travagance. 1t Is further assumed that
the men appointed to handle the
undertaking would be perfectly com
petent This Is assuming great deal
While there is no reason why it could
not be done there is grave danger that
it will not be done. The experience
of the people in this part of the state
has been that state and federal under
takings are not always happily COM
pleted. Even the government recla-
nation project is not exactly what the
people anticipated especially as re-
CARDS cost. On the Payette- Boise pro-
ject we have seen the estimated cost
raise from 5000 to 5000 per acre and
the end is not yet 1t is true that the
construction of the Panama canal by
army engineers is being successfully
carried through. It may be that the
successful construction of the canal
will mark new aera in government
works-one in which economy, COM
potency and good sound business
methods will be employed. If this be
true and it extends to Idaho the Re-
corder suggestion,is most happy one.
If the legislature should see fit to
authorize the commencement of such
a development scheme it should pro-
vide that the necessary funds be avail
able as fast as they can be used. We
want no more enterprises undertaken
which will depend, from session to
session of the legislature, for the
money with which to carry them out.
The state capitol is an object lesson
that should not be soon forgotten
That edifce will be completed during
the twentieth century provided war,
famine or pestilence does not over
take us.
In its comment on The development
of power by the state the Recorder
says.
sibilities in the state that have not
as yet been touched. there are many
others which the state has given over
to be fled on so laxly that almost any
industrious man with few dollars
capital can hold them, develop them
selveseby taking it out of the con-
sumner as he goes along. The ones
on which no filings have been made,
should be withheld from all further en-
try except for municipal or community
Development; and system Of taxation
evolved that would bring all the others
back under the public control. Where
= small plant is being made to hold an
enormous power possibility against
forfeiture or against development by
rival companies. the same principles
Of law that DEGREES water only to
those who use ityfor irrigation should
be invoked. and the whole system
could be taken under the police power
of the state. Under the general pro-
vision of the Idaho law that the
waters belong to the state, it is not
hard to frame q code that will allow
the state to recover and to develop
these streams for the public good"
Alfalfa CONTROVERSY May be Settled.
The prompt action taken by Cover
nor Hawley, supplemented by the in
timation of commercial bodies in this
state that discrimination was game
at which two could play, has brought
the officials of California into more
reasonable frame of mind in RECORD tc
Idaho alfalfa. California without any
investigation quarantined against Ida.
no alfalfa without regard to the sec.
ton OF the state from which the ship.
ments were made. 1t Is generally
known that the alfalfa weevil exists. Il
it exists at all in Idaho, only in small
section of the southeastern part of thu
state, where like Mormonism It wa.
introduced from Utah. All other sec
tons have taken steps to prevent tn.
spread of the weevil. and the state ant
federal governments have undertaken
eradication in the afflicted parts.
The alfalfa weevil is a native o.
western Asia and south Africa. It,
presence in the United States wa,
first discovered in Salt Lake county
Utah. some six years ago in a settle
ment of foreigners. This is the onl,
section where the weevil is known Il
have secured a firm foothold. TIL,
weevil is an insect that works abov,
ground and propogates 50 rapidly a.
to destroy every alfalfa crop. In tn,
latter part of the summer the insec
flies and is often carried fifty mile
by the winds. It has gotten goo,
start in parts Of Wyoming and in
small section of southeastern Idaho. I
is thought that the state and nationa
experts will be able to confine the pes
and eventually eradicate it.
The California authorities now dhav,
men en- route to investigate conditions
in Idaho. The quarantine will Be en-
forced only against those sections o
the state which already have tn,
weevil or which have been exposed
We cannot blame California from
taking every precaution against thi
pest, but the state should have mad,
an investigation before taking the ste,
she did.
In Jail But Exonerated.
The board of regents of the indus
trial school at St. Anthony has com
Ia AL