Arizona republican., 1913-04-25
Secretary Lane and the Water Users

Secretary Lane and the Water Users
 The agreement by the board of governors the Water Users association upon pre- sented to the secretary of the interior in a confer proposed by him. concerning the Salt River project, includes many phases of the policy nounced by The Republican with respect rriga- tion, when the present management of this paper took control of it last october. The Republicans advocacy this policy been steady and con- sisent, and it is with qualification that n fair way for adoption We believe that it's adop- ton will best the users under project.
 The levying a maintenance charge upon all of the lands for which is available, whether the lands are in cultivation or not was first posed by this That would tighten the bur den of the actual farmer; it would bring unused holdings, largely the property absentees aggre- gating about 3OOOO acres, cultivation if the owners themselves should choose to put the lands use adoption of such a maintenance charge would tend to the distribution of these lands among actual home-makers.
 The proposal for the approval by the Users association of power contracts, believe to be good If such arrangement should serve no other purpose than to dissatisfaction and distrust among the users, that alone would it's adoption
 The proposition an early and just deter 7 imitation of the the Salt River project and
 
 amount to be charged to the general fund a just which, believe, properly presented, will receive consideration. This was the earliest of the great projects undertaken by the reclama- tion service Much of the work, therefore, necessarily experimental and costly. considerable of the expenditure was for learning "how not to do it., expenditure which has been avoid ed subsequent projects which will be avoided all future reclamation projects The fbpraf chr should be paid of the general and not charged solely to the Salt River project deter imitation of the cost of duplicating the works could be accurately made by board of competent en- gneers.
 The Republican was the earliest advocate of an extension of the repayment for the project provided in bill 1OO which the board of governors has endorsed passage the secre- tary is requested oppose The Republican proposed that the time of repayment be extended from to twenty years, the annual payments to be graduated deferred payments without interest. In advocating this extenson The Republican was moved by a sense of justice. The project un- dertaken with an understanding though somewhat indefinite, the part of the water users that it would cost certain Their plans for the future laid accordingly. Other and expensive enterprises in connection with project were in- troduced from time to tme until the total cost is than double the sum the water users ex- pected in the beginning to have to pay The annual payment of sum twice great as the farmers expected to when' their plans a few years ago, when they assumed other oblga- tions. constitutes burden which the government should tighten, especially since it heavily upon those who least able bear it.
 Of all the proposals which will be presented to the secretary is appealing than the re- quest that the holdings the honesteaders shall reduced below 160 acres The men of this class those whom the reclama- ton especially designed to assst-the creators of homes the conquerors of the desert The privatons they and their families have under gone sustained only by the hope they would their reward in the to come, de- serving the favorable consideration
 We believe that the board of governors might properely have agreed upon proposal to the tary a delimitation of the lands under the project at the of it's opening. This is prob lem that will have to be solved time, and the earlier it is met the better. It is believed that it would be unwise attempt the irrigation of than 240OOO acres land including 2s,OOO acres titled to water but not yet within the association and 10000 acres that may be irrigated by pumping 24O 900 acres to be should be designated with the least delay
 Another matter concerning which there has been considerable agitation think might have been included among the proposals. It is believed bv many that a saving might be effected if the maintenance of the dtches such repairs and con- struction as might required to facilitate the