Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1913-07-03
NEW ORDER FOR
GOV. PROJECTS
SEC. LANE ISSUES ORDER REL
ATIvE TO SETTLERS ON
GOVT. PROJECTS

In view Of the representations made
at the recent conference of the Water
Users Association in Washington, and
recognizing that the low prices for
farm products in 1912 have rendered
it difficult for many settlers to meet
their obligations to the Government,
Secretary of the Interior Lane has
just issued an important public no.
tice to all settlers on National irriga-
ton projects.
BY this order the building charge
for the last installment which became
PAYABLE is reduced to one-third of the
amount due, but not to less than 80
percent per acre; the payment of the
balance is to be deferred and added
to the last installment on the water
right application. For those who have
already paid the charges due cor
responding credit is to be given on
the next annual 'installment or they
may have the credit applied to the
operation and maintenance charges
now due. :.
No person is to receive the benefit
of this concession on Dec. 1st next
for operation and maintenance and
who has not paid all the amounts due
of the irrigable area of his land or not
who has cultivated less than one-half
less than 5 acres for each full irriga-
ton season since water was first
available for the land
It is provided further in the case
of those who are now delinquent and
subject to cancellation that if they
make payment of the operation and
maintenance charges for irrigating
their land, no steps will be taken to-
ward cancellation until December l,
1913.
Secretary Lane announces further
that he will urge upon Congress the
passage of some act giving a fur
ther extension of time for the pay
ment of the building charges under
proper limitations and conditions.
Under date of June %, Sec. Lane
further says with reference to the
reclamation service -"The man VIII
makes farm and irrigates
is the man I am primarily in
terested in, not the Spectator" said
Secretary Lane today. eve have
been making money for land specula-
tors, not homes for farmers on some
of our projects. I find that we have
under our irrigation projects 1,200,O 900
acres of irrigable land, land upon
which we are prepared to deliver
water, but we are irrigating only ESQ.,
600 acres. Over 95 per cent of the
remaining $4,000 acres-all irrigable
but unirrigated-is land in private
ownership. The man who irrigates
his land should have the easiest terms
from the Government because he is
the one who is giving the public the
benefit of that land. The people of
the United States have invested $75,-
100000 in building irrigation works
to irrigate farms: not to raise the
values of lands held out from use:
The man who chooses to hold his land
from use has right to speculate up
on his own resources. but not upon
the advance loan of the Government.
I think that conditions fully justify
special consideration being given to
those farmers who have gone upon
these reclaimed lands and done their
best to cultivate them. The notice
given today is an act of leniency to-
ward debtor who is in difficulties. 1t
should be said in justice to the water
users that at the recent hearing not
one Of them even suggested a desire
that the Government should waive its
debt; all said that they were prepared
to meet their obligations to the Gov
ernment if terms somewhat more ia
vorable were given. Less than one
half of the water users have paid the
building charges which were due De-
cember 1, 1913, and which will be de-
linquent December 1, 1918. At this
time it becomes necessary to insist
upon payment Of operation and main
tenance charges which should have
been paid last spring and were de-
ferred owing to the pendency of the
Swigart vs. Baker case in the courts
in which the right of the Government
to collect such charges has now been
upheld. In view of all Of these con-
ditions it seems a wise and Just thing
to reduce all present building pay
ments giving credit to those who have
paid"