Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-11-13
"dET BUSY OR GET OUT"
Such Is the Uitimatum of Gov. Haine
to All Parties Interested i'm the
Lost River Project.

Lost River irrigation project. In a
letter addressed to James f. Clinton
receiver for the Big Lost River Irri-
CATION company the governor speak
ing for the state land board of COM
mlsslOners, serves notice that the |
state will wait no longer. If the |
different litigants do not accept the
coming decision of the circuit court
of appeals az final, no matter what
the decision may be, the state will
proceed at once to cancel its con-
tract with the company and take
immediate steps to relieve the con-
dition of the settlers on the project
Receiver Clinton is requested by
the governor to notify all parties in
interest to this effect 40 that they
may know just what to expect.
This letter from Governor Haines
is the direct result of careful per-
sonal inspection of conditions on
the Big Lost river project made re-
Gently by the members of the state
land board and of much research
and study of the problem by Attor-
ney General Peterson and other
state officials in trying to arrive at
solution that would be fair and
just to all.
We have not space to give the
letter of the governor in full, but he
closes by saying:
"On the other hand the land
board will lend any reasonable and
proper aid in the matter of the re-
organization which should be pro
ceeded with at once. Those whC
y may have charge of the new com
pany must be made to realize tn
" sufferings and hardships of the set
tiers and must so shape their plan
- as to fully protect them in the fu
. ture. The moral obligation resting
= on the state in this matter, enloin
the members of the land board t
insist upon: First, early reorgani
zation of the company and activit
looking to the resuscitation OF tn
" project and, second, such reorgani
zation as will provide primarily fo
- the welfare of the settlers, upo
whose success depends ultimatel
not only the physical and financi'
y, success of this project but of a
other Carey act projects within II
- state"
" We are glad to see the governC
acknowledge that the state has
least a moral obligation to the Sc
tiers it has brought here and upc
the success of these settlers depen'
the ultimate success of every Care
act project in the state. This h
ALWAYS been the contention OF q
Times and if former land boar
!, had shown little more interest
the settlers and less attention Civ
To the appeals of the irrigatl'
-. companies, Carey act projects
Idaho would not be looked up
with distrust as they are to-day
the people of the east.
Speaking editorially of the lett
,ad of the Governor, the Statesm
has says:
;oh ct remains to be seen Just h
,ha far the land board can go in TO
,ba stalling further litigation atfecti
9TH the Big Lost river project. 1t wo'
AZ certainly be a splendid thing for
,ha state if the project could be co
tho pleted. 1t embraces large trac'
;fl land. the construction so far Is s
to be good; it would be pity II
work should be further delayed
,tes lawsuits. The influence OF
;ted state boards action will be trem
.esi- dous. 1t is a threat to abrogate
ex- contract and take steps to comp
ov- the project. The contracting I
lans would not want to face such s.
that alton and in an extremity 1t mi
oos take n fresh hold on judicial
the cedure. Another problem, In
men the state should declare the cont
hing void. would be met in connect
and with the payments made by settl