The Detroit times., 1913-04-29
By RAYMOND PULLMAN,
Times Washington Bureau
MetrOpOitdn Bank Buildiag.


WASHINGTON, April 29-"What
is the matter with the govern
ments reclamation work on arid
| lands In many sections OF the west?'
On account OF d number OF appar-
emily well-directed attacks upon the
United States re-
is Reclamation clamation service
Work a this question looms
Failure! up big at the be-
ginning OF new
presidential administration.
Assailed first by congressional
committee. muckraked in popular
magazines. criticised by numerous
congressman from the west con-
demned by officers OF several set
tiers associations on the projects the
reclamation service seems TO have
fallen upon evil days. No direct
charges CT graft or misappropriations
of money have been made. lnvestigat-
ors will be compelled 10 look for 9th
er reasons behind the assault upon a
Dpreau whose engineering work and
whose businesslike administration
have become models in this country
as well as abroad. Ii is hard for gov
eminent officials 10 determine what
las happened so suddenly TO change
the standing OF the service.
Uncle Sam has loaned without in
terest about $50. 900. 900 10 approx
mately 10000 families in the west on
the irrigation projects. The first in
stallment OF this debt is now due. and
the reclamation service by law is in
duty bound TO collect the money. On
some Of the projects there are men
who have started movement which
threatens Reputation Of the debt
owed the government for building the
irrigation works and putting water on
the land, and some OF the leaders in
this movement declare. ii is said. that
the farmers should never pay back the
cost of the irrigation
The men who are objecting TO pay
ing the government for the cost OF
irrigating land are few in number
but they have made loud complaints
10 the department OF the interior, OF
which the reclama-
Loud Complaints ton service is g
Are part, and by
Uttered. charges of extrava
gance. mismanage-
ment and inefficiency they may at
tempt 10 secure from congress re-
lease from payment. 4 number OF
other objections have been made TO
the work of the reclamation service
but friends of the bureau point out
that there are 10000 families who
compose the settlers on government
projects, that these people come from
all parts of the country, that few have
any experience In irrigation farming
and that some have little knowledge
of any kind of farming. Friends Of
the service ask II, In consideration OF
these conditions. II Is strange that
there Is some discord and strife among
the many thousand settlers.
Another hammer In the anvil chorus
directed against the reclamation SER
vice is welded by the men who think
the federal government cannot enter
the field of construction in competi-
ton with private enterprises, notwith-
standing the showing made by Col.
Goethals In Panama and by engineers
of the reclamation service on large
irrigation works throughout The west.
The bureau has demonstrated. accord
ing to competent engineers. that In
comparison with private enterprises
engaged in similar work during the
past ten years. the government has
built better works and furnished
cheaper water rights. Large areas Of
lend have been reclaimed from the
desert, and 100000 acres are now
ready for water. Twenty thousand
families are living on the irrigation
projects and on the land ready for
water crops valued at more than $10,-
600 900 were produced last year.