Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1914-04-18
GOOD TO COME
FROM MEETING
Government Officials Get Real
Facts on Irrigation in
Idaho.

After a man arises from his knees
at the close of long and earnest
prayer and you should ask him just
what he had accomplished in the way
Of tangible results, the chances are
that he would say he did not know
as the Almighty had not revealed
His plans to him."
This is the answer given by At
Corney General Peterson to the ques-
ton as to what the Idaho state Offic-
ials had accomplished at the Denver
Irrigation conference.
eve can't tell yet what we ac-
complished in the way of tangible re
suits. That Is for the powers at
Washington to say. am confident
that great good will result from this
interchange of ideas. The represen-
tatives of the department, in fact all
government officials and employees
there, seemed especially anxious to
get at the exact conditions on the
Carey act projects. They seemed to
be honest in their endeayors to get
at the exact facts.
The educational value of the con-
ference win be great. When / told
the men assembled that Idaho had
main irrigation canals-not bitches
and laterals, but great waterways
that would reach four times from Sc
attic to New York they sat UP and
gasped. Men from outside have no
conception of what this state has
done in the field of irrigation Or
what 1T means to the permanent
prosperity of the state. They know
nothing Of tae tremendous poss bilitiesI
still open here to those who desire
to build homes.
81 was impressed with the address
of Elwood Need more than with any
thing else connected with the con-
ference. After proving himself an
authority on irrigation in this country
and going as high as man could
go in the universities of the country |
along that line he was chosen head
of great colonization enterprise in
Australia He told us what was be-
ing accomplished by the government |
there. In his enterprise the gov
ernment not only furnishes the land,
but it furnishes the houses, the
barns, the horses, the cows, the
farm implements-in fact everything
poor man needs for the building of
home for himself and his family.
There a man is not penalized for his
enterprise. He is given everything
and then given plenty of time and
easy terms to pay back for the
things advanced. In addition to this
his work is supervised; he is given
advice and assistance, he is en-
abled to become a useful member of
society and producer. The account
of the success that has attended this
undertaking aroused my enthusiasm
and / am anxious to know more of
the plan"
Mr.. Peterson also expects great
good to come from the meeting of
attorney generals and state engineers
in this city in July. The meeting will
include the officials from all the
Western states.
eve have found" said the attor-
ney general chat questions are con-
stantly arising, especially in irrigation
matters, in which there should be con-
cert of action among the states. For
Streams are flowing
from Wyoming into Idaho; from Ida
no into Utah; from Colorado into
Kansas. These conditions bring up
questions that are interstate, where
the neighbomng states should be in
complete accord We have a case
before the United States supreme
court now in which the corporation
tax is attacked. On this question the :
California court held one way; our i.
court held another. This causes con-
fusion. There should be harmonious
action as far as possible.
State engineers have problems to
meet also in which two or more \
states are involved, SO that a meet !
ing of the kind planned will be of i'm t
value In my opinion. |
The attorney general is a member a
Of the committee on program. He :
said that just as soon as Il was known i
which of the states were to be in '
the association a program would be f
and made public. c
Secretary of State Clifford and &
State Auditor Huston were equally 7
enthusiastic over the outcome of the a
conference. Thy were impressed t
with the desire OF the federal offic- L