The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1914-02-04
SECRETARY LANES LETTER /
Addressed TO the Settlers of the
Government Projects Fully Out
lines His Palicies.

tary Lane is addressed to water
users generally upon government
projects. 1t is an outline of his arid
land policies and is particularly ap-
projected legislation is pending that
will enlarge his discretionary powers
and make possible a broader, more
comprehensive and withal, more
beneficial administration of the gov
ernment's irrigation project affairs.
Il am sending you this letter in
which | discuss various questions af-
fecting all of our reclamation pro-
jects, that you may know the effort
that is being made to meet your
needs. The question always before
us is, whether or not the United
States can successfully conduct a
large business enterprise upon bus
mess principles without injustice to
its citizens and without imposing a
too heavy burden upon those with
whom it deals.
1t may be true that hitherto the
government has expected too much
of water users and it may be equal
ly true that water users have ex-
pected too much of the government.
However that may be, there is
surely safe middle ground where
neither shall expect too much of the
other and where each shall be ready
to recognize the others due on the
safe and solid basis of the needs and
possibilities of the one and the fair
and just compensation OF the other;
and all this without thought or sug-
gestion of largess or of imposition.
| would deal with you as you deal
with another, yielding nothing as
charity, but dealing together as men
and brothers on the basis of what is
reasonable and just. Though there
may be some among you who have
hoped that eventually the govern
ment woud not collect it's dues,
believe that most of you have never
entertained thought of escape
from your obligations to the govern
ment.
| have given many months of
close personal study to the problems
involved. | have visited you in
your homes, in your fields and in
your meetings; have taken counsel
and advice of men long in the SER
vice, of representative water users,
and what follows hereafter is the re-
suit of this study, advice and seri-
Gus consideration.
After personal contact with thous-
ands of settlers on our reclamation
projects, | find that We have gath
cred together from all parts of the
United States a class of men and
farmrs above the average in ability
and intelligence; they are generally
men of high purpose resolute, self
dependent and determined. These
men are companioned by superior
women. ! have no sympathy with
that view which attributes 70 you,
whatever in your present situation
may be uncomfortable or unpromis-
ing.
With the admission that the past
conduct of affairs has not been un-
qualifiedly without error, and that
future policies are subject to correc-
ton when found erroneous, think
we may fairly proceed upon COM
mon ground TO reason together to
the end that we may now agree as to
what, in the light of present knowl-
edge, appear to be just and equit-
able. as between you and the gov
ernment.
The Farm Unit
The most difficult duty imposed
upon the Secretary of the Interior is
that of determining the "area of
land necessary for the support of
family" The law wisely requires
this to be done, not only to prevent
speculation in lands, but in order
that there shall be farms for all who
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