Arizona republican., 1912-03-24

 found the reclamation fund was as- suming large proportions and prompt ly saddled the expense of printing the reports upon the reclamation ser vice. with the result that such eX- pense is charged up with other ad-
 ministration outlay and will be paid ultimately by the water users As q consequence he said that while the first reports were more voluminous and were illustrated and filled with more details. the later ones are boiled down to the least possible space in order to save cost.
 As to more detailed statements of the cost features. MT Davis referred to the following executive order: The Secretary of the Interior. by | order of November r.. 1909. issued
 the following regulations:
 Any Water Users Association or any individual having an interest in
 the lands included in a reclamation project desiring information from the 1 fiscal records of field or local of flee of the reclamation bureau. may proceed in the following manner: T. Application must be made in writing to the supervising engineer I of the district. stating the interest
 applicant has in the project. the na
 ture of the information desired, and the use proposed to be made thereof.
 70. The supervising engineer, if satisfied that the giving of such in formation will not be detrimental to
 the public service. will endorse on i.;
 upon the information sought will be
 promptly supplied and a record made thereof. If the application be denied,
 the supervising engineer will endorse the reasons for disallOwance there
 upon and promptly forward the samo
 to the secretary of the interior 1 Then Mir. Davis briefly. but clearly,
 reviewed the history of the project
 from it's inception ten years ago.
 with the added features, not cOntcm- plated at first but necessary to its
 success and completion. These in- clude the building of the Roosevelt
 road. the Granite Reef diversion dam,
 the purchase and enlargement of the canals on both sides of the river. The enlargement of the canals in or
 
 cited as q natural sequence to the purchase or the systems. which laid lupon the service the responsibility of keeping them up and reconstruct ing structures and bridges and other
 work connected herewith.
 Finally hc referred to published
 statements that the estimated cost
 of the project as at first set forth Twas s3,7JO0OO.OO while the total ex-
 pcnditures will be S10,500.0O0.OO, with the intimation that the difference has
 been wasted or unwiscly expended
 Uc said he would like to ask the man making that statement 1T he knows what ~thc first amount was , intended to cover. and what has been done with the expenditure of the larger amount used. and then. if he knows enough to be talking about ! the subject at all he knows the l statement to be untrue.
 ? Mir. Davis reviewed the present eX- tension of time. secured in considera
 ton of the association assessing its , members in order to build power plants. and said the work was pro-
 Gressing satisfactorily. although not
 so fast as had been contemplated bu;
 through no fault of the members oi thc association. or it's officers. but simply due to the drag of all large undertakings which cannot be fore seen. Then the unusual climatic con- ditions of the past eight months were alluded to-first the damage by rain and frost-all of which he said point ed to the advisability of the people not being required to immediately begin the payment of construction charges.
 Then MT. Davis asked Senator-elect smith. who with his colleague. Sen ator-elect Ashurst, was present tht direct question whether any relie1 could be expected from congress | the department was not in sympathy 1 with the movement.
 MT. Smith answered that 1t Wa | difficult but not impossible to get ; | bill through even with a majority | party. without the concurrence of th' | ldepartment which has to do with tha | subject. and with the open opposition | of the secretary of that department | at least delay would result. if no l failure. This was in line with simila | ladvice given the board of governor Il of the association in conference II with them d few weeks ago Mention II was made by him or the posSlbfllt H of congress insisting on the collection H of interest on all reclamation funds I HI any change is made in the presen III law. and the further probability thd H if the desired notifications should b III obtained it would be with such a III interest provision tackled on.
 ,i Again disclaiming any intention t III speak with authority or to comml HI any one to a policy. Mir. Davis state III that the secretary of the interior nov III has authority to make graduations O III payments. He also has power { III postpone the beginning of payment! HI Then, said MT Davis. these two to HI gether. if carried far enough. woul III bring the same results as Legislation HI provided of course. the secretary ca III be brought to that opinion.
 HI Mir Davis referred to resolution HI adopted bv the national irriSatio III congress and reaffirmed by the Wato HI 1 Users association, that contracts fo III the sale of power should be referre III to the association for approval beior III being executed. He said that so fa