The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-08-21


government to date, and, beginning
with this year, $4,000 600 is annually
appropriated by each congress for the
next fifty years, which would be in
vested at an average per acre cost
equal to that fthe projects complet-
ed or under construction, no charge
being made to the settlers either Tor
construction or water rental
10000 families would then be set
tied on ~ acre units, or by that time,
on the assumption that the unit would
be divided by three, 10000 families,
adding 3,750.OOO to the landed rural
population of the arid states, which
would carry total increase in all oc-
equations OF at least 100000, or IS
100000, or with the present popula-
ton added, building up an inland en-
pire Of at least 20 odd million, which,
in addition to its immense value to
the ration as market and source of
supplies, would be paying interest
with handsome margin to the ma
tional treasury.
But the analogy, say our critics, is
incomplete Rivers and harbors are
a great public highway, publicaly
owned and operated, while reclama-
ton works are privately owned and
operated for private gain.
This seems to me to be a peculiar
argument to be voiced in the halls OF
congress. An appropriation for rivers
and harbors is justified. not because
the thing improved is a public high
way, but because a highway is public
institution. Now, the supplying mois-
ture, that makes agriculture possible
III an arid region is as much public
| function as the improvement Of river
or harbor. Irrigation is like ham
mer that knocks off the letters that
imprison the industrial life and hold
back the development of the arid
west, which, when freed, its quicken
ling effects are felt in all parts of the
country. Like the benefit derived
from the improvement of rivers and
harbors, this also varies in something
suggesting inverse ratio to the dis
lance and there is an additinal bene-
fit derived from irrigation to eastern
owned transportation companies.
Two sets Of workmen are employ
ed on street cleaning job. The one
uses equipment supplied by the de-
parment under which they work; the
other is required to purchase their
own equipment from said department
paying the purchase price in install
ments. One of these groups is doing
public work with publicly owned ap-
paratus, while the others are doing the
same work with privately owned ap-
paratus. for which they must pay out
of their receipts. Our critics would
very properly class this latter group
with the settlers on government irri-
cation projects. Before pouring out
the walls of their indignation against
. the national reclamation policy, it
might be we'll to inquire if missing
, analogies are essential to the argu-
ment.
The arid states have another string
on the national treasury by the tact
that they are contributing annually to
, the river and harbor fund an amount
! increasing with the increase of their
population and the development OF
: their wealth. Mr.. Payne of New York
is responsible for injecting into the
debate the argument that the treas
ury receipts from these states are
tight; that the bulk of the nation
! taxes are borne by a few wealthy
: states, one-third to one-half the en-
5 tire amount coming from New York
: We would here PROFOUND question
: to our critic; Does the taX-money is
sue from the person, or from the
$ source of revenue; when money is
|, made out of the resources of one
state and spent in another, part o.
which goes for customs and othci
federal taxes, which is the contribute
ing state?
e Men make fortunes in other states
a retain their investments there, which
a furnish their income. and settle il
a New York. Has New York a mora
4 ,innch on the tax money they pay?
There was a time when this ques
ton was not at all vital, for each sec
ton of country had its local center
The changes wrought by electricity
and steam have made it necessary fol
= the nations business to be larSel!
transacted from few industrial cen
n ters where, owing to the advantages
OF the so-called accident of position
the nation-created wealth and tn,
nations activities are largely center
n ed They are the industrial capitals
of their overlapping spheres OF in
huence, and the pay of their costl!
employees comes as much out OF thu
receipts of the national business a
n the salaries OF the government EN-
ployes at Washington come from III,
tax receipts of the nation. They ar,
n nation-created, nation Financed, ma
' ton matured Their custom duties arr
to a very considerable extent the re
ceipients OF the shady fortunes tina
were hlched from every part of tn
. country, and of the large hereditar!
fortunes, which enable their posses
: sors to absorb-the products of the la
: Dor of others without producing il
: return, or place them in position o
; vantage that most ambitious mel
( spend years in fruitless effort t.
reach, and for which they owe a grea
' deal to society The wealth pickle,
: up throughout the entire countr!
y gravitates toward them. Mr.. Payne
v argument seems to us to be a recur