East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-01-26

tina River waterusers' association;
that they were an outsi lie bunch en-
tirely and that the settlers on the
Umatilla project, the real members
o. the Umatilla River Waterusers' as
scciation, were strongly in favor of
the Extension?
Apparently no effort was made to
set the president right upon the mat
ter. The letter of which Secretary
Fisher complained about to Burgess
was dated December 8. The letter
which he wrote to Burgess calling him
down for his act was dated January
Il over a month had elapsed and
evidently no correction had been made
or the "call down. would not have
been administered. If the anti-exten-
sion leaders are so honest and so
sanctified why did they not show COM
mon honesty in dealing with the presi-
dent of the United States? They had
lots of time in which to be honest.
In a hypocritical attempt to show
friendship for the settlers of the Una
tilla project the Burgess defenders
call attention to the fact their so;
called organization passed a resolution
in which they asked that graduated
payments be allowed the settlers of
the project. That resolution was sent
President Taft. Shades of Machia-
velli, What was that action if not
clever attempt to fool the president?
Receiving such resolution would
not the president naturally infer that
it came from settlers on the pro-
ject? If he had been bamboozled by
their previous resolutions would not
his confusion have been increased by
receipt of the resolution regarding
graduated payments?
To the dump Pile with their talk
about honesty! The explanations that
have been made thus far confirm the
suspicion that a wilful attempt was
made to deceive the president. It
looks like the ringleaders in the anti
extension brigade dispairing of win
ming out upon the merits of the case
tried to kill the West Extension
through use of an outrageous lie 1t
appears upon the face of things that
an effort was made to cause Presi-
dent Taft to think the settlers upon
the Umatilla project did not want the
West Extension. This regardless of
the fact they do want the Extension
and recently came to Pendleton on a
special train, over 100 strong, to
shout and work for. the Extension.
If the trick had worked it would
no doubt have killed the West Ex-
tension. 1t is a rule of the govern
ment not to order irrigation work un-
less the people want it. Had the
president been made to believe the
settlers on the Umatilla project did
not approve of the extension he might
have ordered the extension abandoned
and Oregon would have lost a four
MILAN, dollar project because of
wrongful use of the corporate name
or the Umatilla River Waterusers' as
sociation. 1t is fortunate indeed that
someone in Washington discovered
the trick, or the mistake which ever
! it was, and brought out the true facts
As to whether or not the West Ex-
tension is adopted the East Oregon
ian is not greatly concerned, one way
OF the other. We have taken the DO
sition that the extension will be a
splendid thing but that in carrying
it out the government should fully
protect the rights and welfare of the
Upper river people. The same po-
sition was taken by the businessmen
of Pendleton through their CONNER
cial club. 1t was the only action that
could be taken consistent with the
facts in the case.
The East Oregonian is willing tc
leave the settlement of the proposition
in the hands of the reclamation SER
vice and of the president. But this
paper is not willing to sit silently by
and see the president or anyone else
shamefully jobbed as to the plain facts
in the case. This paper stands fol-
square dealing and for honest, open
practices in business affairs and poli-