The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-08-15

In speaking of the movement start
Gu some weeks ago to have the great
Dluhcau Gary act segregdliun revert
W tile government IA hope, that the
NeclallldtiOn Service might uc IRE.
'dAIeu upon to unue1take the recIau,a-
1AolA OF Tue tract, Ooveruur names
| sdlu: 1t seems ~ me That the great.
es' neeo III tni3 stale Is good settlers
on the irrigation projects we already
nave. l am tod that there are tnous-
anus OF acres OF land lying Idle on
the projects we have IN operation. |
"ouAo rather see the eneIxles OF the
state anu tie people turned toward
securing settlers Tor these tracts be-
1ole others are opened up"
-, Inc statement made ny Governor
names was taken by the Department
OF the Interior to mean that he was
opposed to the government dong
anything further lnan completing the
projects under way III Idano. The
expression was called forth because
Inc energies OF the administration aud
OF the people mad been solicited IN
oenalt Vi the bruneau project. The
mater came to The attention OF Sena-
tor borah who Is working tor more
money tor the Reclamation Service.
Senator borah has written Governor
names. Alter quoting the statement
Oh the Governor, Senator Borah says:
assumed at the time that your
remarks had reference TO private en-
terprises or to Carey act projects.
But 1 lind that 1t Is being interpreted
as applying to all projects both those
promoted upon the part OF the gov
eminent and upon the part OF the
state.
II have been seeking to get an ad-
dltonal loan to the reclamation fund
IN order to take up new projects hav-
ing IN view particularly the North
oioe project winch was formerly a
part OF the BoIse-Payette project.
Inns land Is practically all occupied
by settlers who must lose their lands
unless some means is devised by
which to get water to them. They
nave been there for number of years,
have given every evidence of a de-
termination in good faith to secure
homes, and l have been In hopes that
we could get through this extra loan
and induce the government to take up
this project. l cannot believe that
your remarks are to be interpreted as
a encouragement to taking up this
work. l am sure, however, that they
are being used to that effect. Not
only will they be used to discourage
the loan. but they will almost certain
~ be used to discourage a d,stribut-
ing any part of it to the Idaho pro-
ject. have no idea that you intended
this. l presume you were not mind
ful OF the North Side situation at the
time you spoke.
IL would like you to write me
whether or not l am correct. Are
you unfavorable to the government
taking up this work? If you are, while
1t will not prevent my going ahead
to do what l can, it will certainly be
great handicap to have Idaho,
through her governor, reject the prop
osition.
II would not write this letter if it
had not been that see the construc-
ton being placed upon your remarks
by the department.
Now, as to the other proposition,
OF securing settlers tor these tracts
allow me 10 make some suggestions
IN regar dto this. In my judgment,
there are settlers ready ad ANXIOUS to
take up these lands to the last acre if
conditions As to terms can be made
reasonable and humane. The reclama-
ION law as originally passed was i'm
possible OF execution without untold
hardsip to the settlers. While passed
supposedly in the interest OF the poor
man. no man could carry it out who
did not have a bank account, and
quite large one. He had to remain
on the land continuously for five years
improving it and paying the water
maintenance, and then he was still
further deprived of his title until all
water was paid fer, which might be
from III to Is years. In other words,
q man OF limited means was expected
to go upon desert land, reclaim it, ir-
rigate It, improve 1t and pay main
tenance charges for 10 or II years
without any title by means of which
he could obtain security or utilize his
assets. Do you know OF any business
that could run for IS years upon such
a basis?
Government Acts Like Pauper.
Again, the government while ex-
travagant and wasteful in many ways,
has dealt with the settlers as if the
government were not only a pauper
but a pauper with misery instincts.
He has been compelled to mortgage
his milk COW or his last team or sell
his last pig to get money to pay I'm
Gle Sam. One would have supposed
that national bankruptcy was i'm
pending and would Immediately fol-
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