The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-05-01
RYAN EXPLAINS HOME.
STEAD EXTENSION
BILL

w. A. Ryan, comptroller, in charge
of fiscal and accounting matters OF
the Reclamation Service, has written
an article explaining the new "Recla-
nation Extension" BILL which will be
OF interest to the farmers on the Boise
project and the settlers on the Black
Canyon tract. AS part OF his article
Mr.. Ryan gives a summary of what
other countries are doing for farmers
and settlers. This summary shows
that the United States is in reality do
ing more than any other government
Tor its settlers. The summary is
highly interesting, but space forbids
its publication. The article by Mr..
Ryan which explains the Extension
bill follows:
A settler who may have not thor
oughly digested the terms of the Rec
lamation Extension bill has thought
1t harsh because its final section re-
quires the acceptance of all its terms
before its benefits may be claimed He
has pointed out that these terms pro-
vide that building charges may be in
creased by a majority vote of the wa
ter users, and seems to believe that
therein lies some hidden danger to wa
ter users. II the settler will reflect
that the same power resides in the
majority of every community that is
to say, the power to incur debt for
which the minority is equally liable,
he should not be alarmed. Every ir-
rlgation district is confronted with
this same condition.
The terms of the Reclamation Ex-
tension bill are so liberal that all crit
icisms will fail when settlers come to
July understand its terms and its adj
VantageS.
In order to make clear to you the
effect of the bill let me first present
statements as to how the bill affects
the water user. For purposes of illus
tration ] am taking two 40-acre tracts,
one on each OF two imaginary projects
where the building charges are sup
posed to be 500 per acre. ! will as
sumo that one of these projects has
been opened for five years. The other |
will be opened next year.
The settler on the opened project |
has paid FIVE installments under the |
old law on a graduated scale and has
paid altogether SIS per acre. He owes
$/5, but drainage system is needed. |
a majority votes to incur drainage |
debt of SIS per acre, provided it may
be paid in added installments after the |
20 year period, as provided in Section
4 of the bill.
Gin presenting these statements /
want you to understand that ] am us
ing the factor OF 500 per acre purely
for convenience and not as represent
alive of actual conditionS.)
How it Works for the Old Settler,
The owner of each 40-acre tract sit
uated as described will pay 2 per cent
of the SIS per acre due for each Of the
first four years, or a total of only 500
per year, $3.50 per acre For the fifth
and sixth years he will pay total of
only $l20 each year, or $500 per acre.
For the seventh to the twentieth year
he will pay only $3.50 per acre each
year, or a total charge of $3.50 per
year. For the drainage costs then he
must pay $3.50 an acre per year, or a
total OF $3.50 per year for the twenty
first to twenty-hfth years and the bal
ance of $3.50 per acre, or 500 for the
.wenty-sixth year This will make his
total per acre payments 500 for
building charne and SIS for drainage.
This Is equivalent to borrowing
5000 from the government for thirty
,ne years without interest. Five of
hese thirty-one years were under the
BID law and twenty-six under the new
aw.
How it Works for the New Settler.
A new project is opened The an
bounced charge is 500 per acre. A