The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-07-13
HARRISON GIVES
HIGHLANDERS ADVICE
Benton City Man Offers Sugges-
tiOns for fastening COnstruc-N
tiOn of Government Canal

S. j. Harrison, whose personal ef-
forts were largely responsible for the
construction Of the Benton City ex-
tension of the Sunnyside canl, adj
dressed the Highland Improvement
club Friday evening and offered sug-
gestions for setting government ma
chinery in motion for the irrigation
of the so-called Benton Unit Of the
Yakima Reclamation project. Mr.. Har-
rison said in part:
"First, there must exist a need.
"Second, there must be a feasible
plan.
'sThe N. p. Railway made survey,
first of the old Ledbetter scheme and
later of a modified Highline canal.
The impression given was that the
Ledbetter would not cover land Of
satisfactory quality to make it feas-
ible, but that the Highline is correct
in all respects, having the best of
land and comparatively good line
for constructing a canal.
"The great slump in land values
and the failure Of most of the projects
built by state and federal govern
ment to receive returns as contracted
for the expenditures made in con-
structing the system. and the large
amount of land provided with irriga-
tion canals not yet being put into use
and having no ready market value,
makes the further construction OF
irrigation systems : hard one to fl
nance. Private money will point to
the numerous projects that have lost
the owner most if not all his invest
ment, and federal and state govern
ments to the numerous projects that
are not now meeting their contractual
obligations.
"Again, with the general attitude
of the country to manage all public
service corporations with control OF
revenues and conditions Of operating,
there is very little enthusiasm for
investments of such nature. People
do not like investments over which
thew have no control, little or moth
ing to say what the charge for service
shall be. or What the conditions OF op-
Grating shall be. In fact the disaster
that has overtaken most of the irrl-
cation schemes entered upon for profit
almost preclude the possibility OF Sc
curing private funds.
"a water code making title to water
used on land as secure as title to the
land must be enacted before capital
from any source can be obtained on
irrigation securities. The U. S. Re
clamation Service will not recommend
anv further investments by the gov
eminent until such code is enacted.
To secure this code attend the gov
ernor's meeting at Tacoma July 18th
and 18th, join the Washington Irrl-
cation Institute, get some man on the
execntive board of the institute, see
that YOU send a representative from
BENTON county to the next legislature
] who will stand for water code and
then back him up by maintaining a
lobby at Olympia until the bill is
passed. ,..;ond
dacroase of farm products exported
e is only a question Of short time
until the present supply from the till
able land of the U. S. will be unable
to supply the needs Of the people
Even tho crops be increased by I'M
movement of soil, seed selection and
control Of pests, yet it is very certain
that a much lower standard OF hv,ne
will be required in the not very dls-
(Continued on page eight