The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-01-02
TAYLOR REPLIES TO
STATEMENTS OF
F. H. NEWELL

State Carey Act Commissioner S.
d. Taylor has filed his report with
the State Land Board. According to
this report, which completely reviews
| Carey Act development in this state,
| the expenditure Of one and one-half
| per cent. of the wealth added to Ida
no by the Carey Act will complete
every project that has been opened to
entry and pronounced failure. In
spite of all the clamor we have heard,
Carey Acts projects have been good
thing for Idaho. Mr.. Taylor calls at
tention to the failures and to the SUI
fering of individuals, all of which he
deeply deplores. On the whole one
cannot escape the conviction after
reading such parts of the report as
have been published that in theis
as in all other matters the
failures occupy disportionately large
share of public attention.
Commissioner Taylor very oppor-
timely replies to certain statements
recently made by F. H. Newell, direc-
or of the reclamation service. In re-
plying to Mr.. Newell, Mr. Taylor says:
Mr.. Newell, director Of the United
States reclamation service, recently
made a statement in Boise that there
was only one successful Carey act pro-
ject in Idaho Mr.. Newell's statement
is very unfair to say the least If |
understand the progress that has been
made on the various Carey act pro-
iects in Idaho | should say that he is
10 times in error, as we have that many
projects that | would say are success
full. Perhaps Mr. Newell may have had
in mind the fact that the financial re-
turns to the promoting companies have
not been what was expected. If so
he might have been justified in the
statement because no big margins OF
pront have accrued to promoting Carey
act companies. However, when we
speak of the success of a project we
have especially in mind the reclama-
ton of the lands. | am of the opinion
that the statistics herewith submitted
will convince any tair minded person
that great degree of success has been
obtained and that Mr.. Newell state
ment was misleading. Mr.. Newell is at
the head of the United States recdama
ton service, he is doing a great work
and | would have no desire, if could, |
to detract from his work, but the Iact
remains that he has had troubles of his |
own in the reclamation service and |
that the reclamation service itself has
made mistakes and that it has been
severely criticised, especially by the
settlers on reclamation tracts. Large
delegations representing settlers on re-
clamation lands have visited him in
to protest against his pol
cy and to demand justice What merit
there may be in these charges do not
know, but it is not unlikely that Mr..
Newell has become somewhat embit-
.ered and looks with prejudice upon
other systems of irrigation develop
nent. As to Mr.. .Newell's offer to
cooperate with the state of Idaho in
aking over one or two OF our pro-
ects | have no doubt but that your
BOARD will be very glad to accept his
'ffer provided the consent of the leg
stature is obtained and the further
onSent OF the people of the state is
btained for the necessary constitution
| amendment, and provided further
hat Mr.. Newell is able to obtain from
ongress the necessary appropriation
D make good his liberal offer. With
hese distractions to your official ac-
on removed, | am sure your boara
Ill be glad to cooperate.