Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-04-09
WEST SAYS UP TO STATES
Continued from page 1.)

D
under it have failed-a few because
they were not feasible, but most be,
cause of financial troubles These fail
ures however, should not be charged 70
the Carey act, but rather to state leg.
islatures for their failure to pass ade-
quate legislation when accepting the
act, to state engineers and Carey act
commissions, who failed to look careful
ly into questions of water supply and
plans of construction, and to members
of state boards who failed to use ordin-
airy business Judgment when entering
int contracts with promoters.
"About 100000 acres were applied
for in Oregon under the Carey act, and
while about one-half of this acreage
stands segregated today not to exceed
10000 acres can be classed as reclaimed.
There is not a single Carey act company
IN our state in position to finance its
project and the future offers them moth
ing in the way of promise. In view of
this it is up to the state to find way
to bring about the reclamation of these
segregated lands. One company went
completely on the rocks after it had
collected thousands OF dollars from the
settlers. What money was expended
in construction was practically all lost
on account of poor construction and en-
gineering. In this instance we felt the
honor of the state was at stake for the
state officials had permitted her good
name to be used by spectators to pro-
mote the project. Settlers were led to
belieye that the state was back of the
scheme and that they were taking no
chances. In view of this and the fact
that one state official neglected to
write safeguards into the contracts
made with promoters, we believed The
state was morally bound to complete
the project. At least my office took
such view of it and recommendation
to that effect was made to the legislat
ure with results that $450,000.00 was
for the said purpose.
"There were, of course, those who
severely criticised the action of the leg
islature. Some insisted that such APP
were unwarranted under
our constitution, while others argued
that the money would be fooled away
and the taxpayers would never see u
dollar of it again. All of these charges
proved without foundation however, for
our courts have held we have a right
under our constitution to make such
and we are demonstrat-
ing that the state can organize an en-
gineering force and carry ON construe-
tion wrok as rapidly as private con
cern and at far less cost to the settlers.
1.-The Carey act promoter in fixing
a lien price usually makes liberal es-
innate as to the cost of construction
and then adds about hundred per cent
to cover profits and expenses incident
to the promotion of the project and the
sale of securities and water rights. Con-
struction by the state makes possible
the elimination of all charges over and
above the cost of actual construction
and thus places the lands in the hands
of settlers at about one-half the price
which would have been expected by
Carey act companies,
Few Financial Successes.
Notwithstanding the apparent lihe--
al allowances made Carey act promoters
by the states for the reclamation of
these projects very few if any have
proved financial successes and in view
of this it is next to impossible to raise
funds for further construction. If the
lands under segregation in
the different states are to be watered
it must come through action by the fed
eral government or the states or
through cooperation between these
agencies.
Cooperation Problem.
If the projects are to be taken over
by the federal government the prob
lem is one which must be worked out by
the Interior Department through the
reclamation service. II they are to be
taken over by the states then the prob.
lem is one for each state to work on.
through its legislature aud its land
board, If, however, the projects are to
be taken over by, and the lands re-
claimed through the cooperation OF,
the federal government and the several
states, then it is a problem which this
conference must work out and no ad-
iournment should be. taken until we
have decided upon some definite plan
Of cation.
"As l view il cooperation may be
worked out in two ways;