Arizona republican., 1914-03-14
Impelled by Criticism of the Reclamation Service, Chief Engineer Dav wis Says Only Error is in Neglect of Publicity
FARMERS SPEAK
 AT HEARING
O'Donnell Gives Whole some Advice About Wa ter Economy-Plans Sug- gested Optimism Fea- ture of First Meeting

Expansion with building of re- sources.
 Immediate expansion and fixing of limit
 Leaving project in hands of recla- nation service until enough more sources of water supply are provided to take care of the contracted area. Those were the three main plans discussed by the water users of the north side the public hearing with the reclamation commissioners, Da- wis and ODonnell and the survey board.
 Spurred by criticism of the recla- nation service, Chief Engineer Ar thur Powell Davis, who built the dam, and who has been one Of the most influential friends of the first project entered into a stirring de- fense of the organization. It was an item not down on the program and for which no five minute limit had been set.
 "The only way in which the recla- nation service has erred has been in a lack of frankness with the farm ers,' declared the speaker. And that condition has been improved, is still being improved. The main fault you can find with LIS is that we have failed to take you into our confi- dence After many years on the in side of many big enterprises in the service I find that the want of pl- blicity among the ultimate consumers of our product is our greatest error
 "We specially invite constructive criticism In this statement, I think I answer the gentleman who has just asked why, if the governors and council of the water users have passed favorably on this project limit proposition, the matter should be re- ferred to individual water users.
 We are coming right down on the ditch bank to discuss this matter with you. You know the secretary has said that the man who can't get along with the farmers has no busi- ness in the maintenance and opera tion department, no matter how eff ficient a worker he may be-"
 MT. DdNl lllllt Dui ol NH' NSii AN eeived. It had been suggested that if the reclamation service had wanted to play fair, or had been entirely on its job, it would have provided so that some of the lands now in cul- tivation or now being prepared for crops, would not have to suffer eX- clusion from the benefits of the sys- tenn
 The breaking of the reserve. that led to this forceful statement oc- cured after O'Donnell, Davis and Hanna had spoken, and after a great number of water users had- contribut- ed their five minute speeches. There was not as large a crowd as was ex- pected, but this, according to Presi dent Orme, is a good sign indicating that there are not as many dissatis- fled ones on the north side as the arrangers had looked for.s
 Farmer O'DonnelI
 ODonnell was introduced to the crowd as a practical farmer who had been requested to come to the fron' and give the other farmers on irri- gated lands the benefit of the ex- perience and knowledge that ha: made him a rich man. Several times during the day, the supervisor of 1T rigation was called upon to explain knotty points of irrigation methods The speaker has a bit of brogue He speaks quickly and incisively, an' these things made him popular. A for what he had to say, it was sim
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