East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-04-07

miles from Portland. Rail and water
transportation are already provided.
The land needs only water to make
it immensely productive.
The feasibility of the project has
been approved by the engineers of
the reclamation service and the di-
| rector. Approval and recommenda-
| ton We're given by the board of fed
| eral engineers that inspected the pro-
ject The former secretary of the in
terror gave the project unqualified
approval. SO did ex-President Taft,
who authorized the setting apart of
the fund necessary to the irrigation
of 10000 acres.
Oregon to BE Sighted?
Director Newell said in Portland
and again to Mr. Teal while in
Washington that nothing was in the
way, legally. technically or physical
! ly, to prevent immediate beginning of
/ work on the project. He announced
! that work would be commenced at
| once.
There remained only ;he wording
| of some contracts with the Oregon
Land & Water company owner of
some of the land. Everything that
! the government had asked had been
complied with The Northern Pa
cific, part owner of the land. nstruc
ted the government agents to draw up
their own contract and they would
! agree to it. All concerned were anx-
ious to make a beginning and to
demonstrate the great value of the
project.
Unless the data to be sumbitted to
Secretary Lane by Didector Newell
last night proves Immediately con-
elusive of the merit of the West Una
tilla project and secures a reversal
of the secretary's attitude, it will be
difficult to make many people be-
lieve that the first policy of the new
administration is in any wise favor
able to Oregon or that recognition OF
any nature may be expected.
Although Oregon alone of the Pa
cific Coast states supported the pres
ent administration from the time OF
the national convention until the
election and in so doing reversed q
political policy of 40 years no evi-
dence has yet been given that the in
terests of this state have figured al
all in the plans of the administration
And it is believed that aside from
all political considerations, bare equity
demands attention to the reclamation
needs of oregon and the worth of
the West Umatilla extension.
From the sale of public lands Ore
gon has been paving into the reCla-
nation fund $40 to every 80 cents re-
ceived back by the state in the form
of expenditures on reclamation pro-
iects At the time of a memorial to
the former secretary of the interior
of the interior relative to the west
extension, Oregon had paid $9,5OO,OO0
into the reclamation fund from the
sale of public lands and was to re-
ceive only $4,000.
Confident that the government S
promise to proceed with work on the
extension would be kept, especially in
I view of the authority massed in fa-
vor of it. private land and water
rights of great value have been with
drawn. railroad grades have been
changed and large expenditures in
preliminary surveys have been made.
Mr.. Teal said yesterday: II be-
lieve the commercial and public bod
les should make very definite express
sion at this time. I believe that the
secretary of the interior should be
\ acquainted with the sentiment of Or
egon people. | cannot fashion the
reason for the seCretary's position eX-
cept that it is, due to a desire to know
at first hand all the information
about the project. There should be
no delay in furnishing it, Much of
4 Oregon's development depends on the
attitude taken and policy declared
ITO say the least it would be very
discouraging to go through all the
work in behalf of the West Umatilla
extension again. senator Chamber
lain has been working for the project
ever since ne went to Washington 1t
i has been before the authorities for
years Every contest as to its feast
hility has been refuted.'