Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1914-04-02
TO BETTER REGULATE CAREY
ACT PROJECTS.

On another page in this issue Will
be found the full text of bill pre-
sented in the senate by Senator Bor-
ah. authorizing the Secretary OF the
Interior to cancel and set aside seq
regations of public lands under the
Carey Act. providing they are not
being properly reclaimed and to
regulate the same.
In a personal letter accompanying
a copy OF the bill, Senator Borah asks
us to give an expression upon the
bill, as to whether 1t is desirable. or
meets the situation. The senator,
like all other Idaho citizens, realizes
that there is something wrong with
the Carey act law. The state, it
would seem. has been too anxious to |
make contracts for the building OF |
irrigation works, without giving due |
consideration to the ability OF the |
construction companies TO carry out |
their. part OF the work, and as a re-
| suit many projects are now stranded
and the settlers have been to a hea-
Wy pecuniary loss.
| The state in the past has been very
slow to recognize the claims OF the
settlers on these projects, preferring
to dismiss their claims with the ex-
cuse that the state was powerless to
act in the matter. Under the bill as
introduced. the state will be COM
PEELED to see that the lands are pro
perly reclaimed or the government
will forfeit the contracts on the
same.
The bill throughout meets with
our hearty approval. unless it might
be in the first section OF the same
which provides that action may be
taken on information being sworn
. TO by not less than five bana fide set
tiers. This. on a large project. might
! seem TO be rather small number.
and II might be better II the percent
OF protests were greater.
5 The bill provides that no land
, shall be put on the market until af-
! ter the same has been approved by
the secretary OF the Interior. as to
e every phase of the work and the wa
= ter supply. The too speedy settle
= ment of these Carey act lands has
e been the primary cause OF most OF
1 the troubles in Idaho. as settlers
have been invited before the works
3 were completed. or whether 1t was
N known that there was water enough
S 10 irrigate them or not.
n There are many other most excel
@ lent features OF the bill that we
: would like to call attention 90, but
l., we want all OF our readers to peruse
d it carefully and II it meets with theii
approval. to signify the same in q
II personal letter to the Idaho delega
Is tion In congress. urging them to Ia
~ Dor for the speedy passage OF the
IN bill.
Is The bill is known as Senate Bill
r. No. 1858, and was referred TO tn,
committee on Public Lands. Mr.
70 Borah states that the bill was pre-
!, sented to him on request. II havinl
10 been prepared by settlers on the Los
IN River project.
~ From our point of view the sen
I'd ator need not be ashamed OF tn
~h anu We NOuiu We pltdScu I
NJ see him use his influence in bringin
lv about the passage OF the same.
as II II were possible there might b
N some more features added to tn
ba bill. notably a clause requiring tha
10 certain percent of cultivation b
10 done each year. This is one OF tn
no greatest drawbacks to Carey act SCI
regations. and we do not believe
IN was ever intended by the trainers {
mr. the original bill. Large tracts al
ok held for speculative purposes wit
nj no attempt at cultivation, and eve
he the amount put into cultivation n
,b- cessary for final proof is little bett'
re- than n sham.
ant 1t would appear. however. that tl
government is going to hold clos
IN scrutiny over these Carey act pr
on jects than heretofore, and some
eel these spectators may awake son
I'M morning to find that they have NJ
nh ther land or water right. In q
INV meantime. let us hope that the pre
ent bill may become n law. as II W
m a tend to protect future settlers
tho Carey act projects,