The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-16
DAVIS ANSWERS
7RACEY'SAT7ACk.
Chief Engineer Of the Recla.
nation Service Speaks at
Water Users Meeting.
HILL AND POWER DIFFER
Senator Newlands Of Nevada Says
His State Should Get More Con-
sideration At Hands Of Service.


fine country. The first was Mr.. Ublacker.
| of the contracting engineers on the
Conrad private project. He stated that
this private project supplies irriga5le
lands to the settlers at from 1850 to $50
forland under the Corey act and $50 to
Y for decided land. The fact was de-
yeloped that this project will show no
profit to the original owners. but owing
to bankruptcy and reorganization II is
now in fairly prosperous condition.
While no two projects. public or private,
can be precisely compared 1t was shown
by Mr.. Newell that the problems to be
met are in general, the same and as fire.
| quently stated during the conferences,
are most troublesome on the administra-
| tive side
Mr.. Newell gave figures of cost on
many projects which were much lower
than those indicated In Mr.. ]. ]. Hills
general remarks upon the subject.
The second witness, State Senator T.
sc. Power Of Montana, also disagreed
with Mr.. HILL Although entirely friendly
in his attitude toward the Great North
ern Railroad. Senator Power described
the principle trouble with his country to
be the high freight rates and the troubles
of distribution OF farm products. Show
ing entire familiarity with many parts of
the State. Senator Power spoke strongly
the only means Of development. Neither
State nor private capital could do what
the government can do. he said.
On one point Mr.. ]. ]. Hill and Senator
Power were in complete agreement. This
was in answer to the same question to
each from Secretary Lane as to how con-
ditions on the reclamation projects can
be improved. Each answered: That is
a big problem"
Arfh nf o
Reclamation Service, continued yester-
day afternoon his sharp analysis OF
Francis G. Tracey's statements. made in
bitter arraignment of the service before
Secretary Lane during Mondays confer
ence. Several Tits Of sharp questions
and still sharper answers were ex-
changed between the men. Mr.. Davis
said Mr.. Tracey showed about l per
cent of accuracy in his criticisms OF the
Carlsbad project He questioned Mr..
Tracey's honesty Of purpose. his veracity
and said: Men of the professional trou-
ble-making class on some of the projects
have caused the service no end OF hind
rance"
Mr.. Davis quoted Mr.. Tracey to the
effect that the government had added
only ninety-eight acres to the amount of
irrigated land in New Mexico, at a cost
OF $1,000 per Icre-this Mr.. Tracey cred
tied with one-half of / per cent of &C.
curacy. Mr.. Tracey met Mr.. Davis
statements with sarcastic laughter and
frequent interruptions.
Upon the close of Mr.. Davis talk. which
at times was highly charged with feel
ing. dramatic in its defense of members
of the service and severe in condem-
nation OF breeders of discomfort. Mr..
Tracey questioned Mr.. Davis upon de-
tails OF the transfer of the works OF
the project from the Pecos Irrigation
Company (Mf. Tracey's company to the
government In the course OF his ques-
tioning. Mr.. Tracey stated that the
terms in his company's contract with
the government were changed after hav-
ing received his signature, and that he
was forced to accept the altered con-
tract in order TO get water for the farm
ers on the project, who had been with
out II for a year. He further charged
that certain of his private papers filed
with the Secretary by Mr.. Davis had
been obtained without his knowledge or
consent. Secretary Lane refused to al
low the question of how Mr.. Tracey's
private papers found their way into the
hands of the Reclamation Service to be
discussed. He so ruled upon statement
of Mr.. Tracey that Mr.. Davis was not
instrumental in taking the papers
Difficult Task.
The Reclamation Service has been
charged with one of the most difficult
tasks ever undertaken by a govern
ment bureau" he said. 1T has in
CURED endless criticism in its endeavor
to discharge this task faithfully.
Engineers in charge of the pro-
jects have difficult Jobs. II an engineer
is derelict in his duty he may stand
on good footing with the water
users. II faithful to his trust he is
sure to get on bad terms with the peo-
pie who have axes to grind. These
are men of Mr.. Tracey's type. He has
made charges against every project en-
gineer. with the exception of Mr.. Hill,
and II will be his turn next.
Some OF the most efficient engi-
neers in the service have been driven
to resign through constant nagging
and fault finding on the part of mall
contents. These complaints are being
made continuously to the Secretary of
the Interior officers of the bureau, and
to the President. Some men seem to
take pleasure in trying to get another
mans scalp"
Mr.. Tracey then began his questions
by asking Mr.. Davis IL he meant that
the implication should be drawn from
Mis- testimony of the night before that
he (Mr. Tracey had tried to unload
on the government utterly worthless
property by Illegal means.
Mr.. Davis stated that he had not pre-