Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1914-05-07

lHdnu lnneuldtely IOllOWeu IOr u
third 100000 acres upon the rep
resentation that the demand was so |
great for the second million acres
that the demand could not be com
piled with unless congress should |
make a third allotment of a million |
acres more?
DO we not all recall the glaring |
headlines, the fulsome editorials and |
the pride with which we all viewed
the tremendous achievements accom- |
plished and promised?
1t was only little more than four
years ago that congress set aside this
land to the state of Idaho for irriga-
ton development under the Carey
act.
Today, we are officially informed
from the state house that Carey act
development for the state is "a thing
OF the past and less than three-quar
ters of even the first 100000 acres
has been reclaimed.
Three million acres demanded
from the government and less than
three-quarters OF one million re-
claimed,
Is 1t not a disappointing tale?
But not even tnat represents the
loss to the state of Idaho by reason
OF the miserable management, the ter
rife incompetence, and the grasping
greed OF officials and employees that
required the enactment of felony
law TO put a stop to II.
Who can estimate the losses to
prospective settlers and to actual set
tiers lured to the state by false state
mems beai ing the sanction of state
officials and employees of the state
holding positions of trust? Who has
counted the dollars literally thrown
away in the process of clearing des-
ert land from sagebrush upon which
land there was not even approximate
possibility that water could be or
would be furnished? Who knows the
cost of the houses built upon these
same desert acres ready for the oc-
cupancy OF the wives and children
doomed to spend days. weeks. months
and even years OF dreary. heart
breaking. discouraging waiting for
the water officially promised by Off
GERS OF the state. but which never
came and which II Is finally and Off
cially admitted never will come, at
least through the fulfllment of the
promises of these state officials?
. Who knows the cost OF building
barns. sheds. and outbuildings, OF
procuring seeds and planting 1t IN
ground which was doomed never tc
} be wet with the water that was sold
, of the broken hearts. the discourage
ment and even the suicides
Who can estimate the cost OF mis-
management, incompetence and ever
of downright dishonesty?
II is not pleasant to recall thes,
blunders, these dishonest acts, thi
official incompetence. but they ar,
i recalled by this final admission of in
= competence and OF surrender, of thi
n hopeless and irrevocable disaster,
g And the subject is dismissed as
1t were mere nothing. not even 81
much as the pricking of the skin
70 And. in truth. IL has not amounted L
@ so much as that-to those responsi
BILE. They have been honored, feast
ed. banqueted. promoted. praised
u and paid. The sufferers have bee
g the settlers-the little home invest
$ ors; they and the state of Idaho, ar
-. the sufferers.
The politicians. the incompeten
II and the dishonest Office holders alik
n have been sustained at the polls
!, they have been elevated to create
4 preferment; the cloak of power an
the emoluments of Office and its hor
u ors have been bestowed upon thos
y selected by them to be their succe
sors. and thus even the worst of th
,s story has been suppressed and I'll
people have been kept in ignoranc
u How long. o Lord. how long wi
II this people suffer themselves thus
'e be used,