The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-06-26
PROSPECTS DON'T LOOK
BAD TO HOLT AND
THOMPSON

mittee which visited Washington in
behalf of the Black Canyon Irrigation
Project, is home again and speaks
most optimistically of the interview
which the committee had with Secre-
tary Lane and the Idaho delegation in
Congress. Mr. Holt says that the
the committee did not receive any
promises from Secretary Lane such
as they desired but which they had
little hope of getting. He is of the
opinion that Secretary Lane purposely
gave the committee little encourage
ment because of the effect such pro-
misses might have on Congress at this
time. Mr.. Lane assured the committee
that when the funds were available
the Black Canyon would be the first
OF the new projects to receive consid-
Grafton. AS we get it from Mr.. Holt,
Mr.. Lane said in effect:
Get the idea out of your heads at
once that the government is under any
moral obligations to undertake the
north side project. | sympathize with
the settlers on that tract and when the
money is available the Black Canyon
will receive consideration among the
first new project provided it is feas-
able. ] do not feel bound by the pro-
misses of my predecessors in Office.
Mr.. Holt is of the opinion from con-
versations he had with Secretary Lane
and other high officials that upon the
passage of the 20-year payment act
that the administration will get be-
hind his proposal to have congress
issue $l00,000,000 in government bonds
for reclamation work by irrigation in
the west and drainage in the south.
Mr.. Holt has received the following
interesting and encouraging letter
from Judge ]. M. Thompson, who is
still at Washington. We are quite
sure our readers will appreciate the
courtesy shown by Mr.. Holt in per-
hitting the publication of this letter.
1t follows:
Washington, D. c., June IS, IA
Hon. B, M. Holt. Caldwell, Idaho.
Dear Mr.. Holt:
Il notice in the Caldwell Tribune
of June 18th a letter purported to
have been written by c. M. Talmadge
of New York to, think, Walter Cupp,
in which he says he learned from Mr..
Brandt and someone else of Idaho
that there was no hope of getting
government money to build the Black
Canyon. l showed this to Congress-
man Smith and to Senators Borah and
Brady, and each of them stated thai
they had not given up hope and that
it was not HOPELESS case.
While the Secretary did not pro-
mise us everything we wanted him to,
you can readily see when you consider
it that he could not do so for if he
promised us such things it might hurt
the bill before congress. He told us
that at Boise.
saw Talmadge Saturday in New
York. but | made no promises. told
him that | had not given up hope OF
getting government money to build
the Black Canyon, and do think that
our senators and congressman here
are hopeful In talking to our sena-
tors and congressman it appears that
there is no question but what there
will have to more loans to the recla-
nation fund for constructing the pro-
jects already started and for constructs
ing new ones and, as stated in my
previous letter to you, our senators
and congressman feel that if there is
an appropriation made they will be
able to get some of it for Idaho In
talking with the senators is was sug-
gested that Talmadge's financial
backing should be considered very
carefully for the reason that it would
be easy to make a contract and if it
were not carried out within a year
from now we would be in the same
position we are now. They do not
think we ought to give up hope of
getting money from the government.
However, it might be we'll to let
Talmadge submit whatever PROPOSE
ton he has. We do not have to con-
tract with him.
81 spent last evening with Judge
King at his home and he suggested
to me the Importance of the passage
of the twenty-year bill in connection
with taking up the high priced pro-
jects and wondered if we got the sign
nifcience. He said if high priced
project were being considered and the
farmers had twenty years in which
to pay it would be more likely to be
passed upon favorably than if they
had ten, King is certainly all right.
Senator Brady says: Certainly
there is hope of government aid for
the Black Canyon. l have been in
vestigating the condition here and |
am hopeful. We have it.
I'VE all realize that this is going
to require a fight but as Senators
Borah and Brady say, we do not get
anything by merely asking but it re-
quires continual pounding and fight
ing. In order to get the government
to irrigate the Black Canyon we have
go to put up a fight With our
senator's and congressman ready to
do everything they can and part of
the Irrigation Commission favorable
fail to see why anyone should say
there is little hope.
Sincerely yours,
]. M. THOMPSON
pS