The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-12-20
the job and not forfeit their good stand
THE RECLAMATION WORK.


9 great irrigation enterprises, aud th'
3 assertion is mado that this charge car
. well be believed because "it is tb'
normal thing for such vast govern
mental undertakings aud the reason
why they are regarded obviously by
many who fully recognize the value
OF the end sought II is further
urged that "there is an insidious cor.
ruption in ihe opportunity TO spend
great appropriations which ONLY con.
slant vigilance and strenuous efforts
can eounteraet. And this position is
illustrated in the political pull exertcd
from 20 many directions TO have great
appropriations for harbors aud in re-
sistance 20 the effort to eliminate un-
necessary harbors and those that have
scant advantages 20 offer.
The comments quoted are based upon
statement from Mr.. Henslcy of Mis-
souri. chairman OF the subcommittee
which has been investigating reclama-
ton work in Arizona He thinks that
OF an appropriation Of $40 900 600, about
! IF"oU0,OpO were wasted, and he even
! ventures 20 suggest scandals aud graft.
Inc conclusion is that "of course the
whole affair will have to be thoroughly
investigated. and in the meantime
Judgment may be suspended; but it NAV
| DC remarked ths. little OF The fierce
white light of publicity which beats
upon Panama, will be an excellent
thing for other great government un
dertakines. -
As TO these latter suggestions. there
Uili bc no one TO oppose. for in all
this arid region which was to be so
much benefited BY the reclamation
projects, there is no disposition what.
ever 10 minimize or defend ANYTHING
Whlch may be found wrong. The
people of all this region generally be.
hcNc In the reclamation service. and in
the honesty of its efforts TO do its
work under the law. II there has becn
any such misappropriation of money
AS Is bIntcd at by Mr.. Henslcv. surely |
the people Of the arid region are the
ones most interested in finding II ont |
Tor there has been a lack OF money 10 |
prosecute reclamation projects that |
were undertaken. And if this short
age OF money is caused by cx.ravs
eance' inefficicncy, or graft. then the
people OF the arid west want the truth.
Tor tncy are tho ones most injured.
The natural presumption wouId he
that Mr.. Hensley has special reference
10 the Roosevelt dam on Salt river
IN Arizona in his structures, because
that Is the great work that has been
done IN that State. Every one under.
stands. however, that there were
numerous difficulties in tho wav of
constructing that great dam and com.
pieting the reclamation project by the
MAKING or canals and distributing
bitches. We do not believe IL would
pc possible 10 do all that work for
lnything like the $4,000, 600 that Mr.
'iensiey suggests; nor can it be reason
ioiy possible that s7.0O0.0O0 out OF .
ne $lV'oOO,0OO could be wasted in a
exclamation project like that. We do .
loi believe il for q minute.
he great trouble ABOUT the rccIama.
.ioh projects was the insistent and .
numerous demands for beginning of
exclamation work in many places. II
vas not practical, il was seen, for the
eclamation service 10 take the money
available aud 20 forward with tbe
'omploton Of such reclamation work
IS the money would pay for There !;
we're lnsistent demands from manv
quarters that great number of rccla
nation projects should be begun. and
on priority TO tbe
reference of one or the other IL was ;
impossible TO decide. All wero rroon+ '
nd all were necessary. and all were
PRACTICAL, both as TO the water that
ouId be had for the work, aud the :
aud that would be reclaimed. The
'ait rIver project, the Uncompahpre II u
roget. the Carson.T .Truckee project
he Shoshoni project, the Boise Payette.
he Minidoka. and many others all d
Fere feasible, all wore necessary. and
III were begun. Fac result was
hortage of funds and President Taft
bis tour OF the West some tbrse
ears ago saw the need and urged
lpon Congress the bonding proposi. j.
ION which was enacted ALLOWING of
be raising of money 10 complete the q
rejects under way. As TO the Tn. q
ompahere project, IL is stated that
be tunnel through the mountains that q
ook the Gunnison river into the great z
neompahgre valley was begun too low
own, so that the water does not reach &
the good land OF the upper benches, f'
that is true that is an error in the IL
riginal survey; but il does not neces. D
'rily involve any charge Of graft or o.
aste. u
We understand that Chairman Hens. u
y : suggestion refers solely 70 work y
! Arizona where his committee has u
cen investigating, and il is Of the NJ
ighest necessity to the United States Pi
general, and 20 all this arid region te
n . 80 n for