The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1916-09-28
LANDS
SHARE BURDEN
WHEN BENEFITED BY IRRI-
CATION PROJECTS OF THE
U. s. GOVERNMENT.
Irrigation Districts to Supersede
Water Users Associations on Pro-
jects; New Law Will Force All to
Share In Irrigation Cost.

WHIcH Lave tle SUPERVISION OIL COM
pleted reclamation projects, will be
superseded by irrigation districts and
thousands Of. acres Of private lands
not signed up for water and much
unentered public land will be made
liable for the cost Of the reclamation
works if the plans of the United
States reclamation service are car
ried out. The change will enable land
owners to borrow money on first
mortgages, it is said.
Willis j. Egleston, district coun-
sci of the reclamation service for
Montana, North Dakota and Wyom-
ing, with headquarters at Helena, has
just received copy of H. R. 1886,
approved August II, authorizing such
irrigation districts, and a statement
bearing ON the matter made by Judge
Will r. King, chief counsel of the
service.
All Lands Benefited Pay.
Montana has law providing for
the creation of irrigation districts
whereby 81 per cent Of the land own
ers In given area can force the min-
GRITTY of 40 per cent to form a dis
trict for the reclamation of the land
in that district. The new federal law
permits such districts to include I'M
entered public lands and entered
lands, the title to which has not yet
been secured, providing the secretary
of the interior approves the project.
While the government will not be-
come responsible for charges against
the land, these charges attach as liens
which must be cleared by an entryman
before his application is allowed.
1t is pointed out that there are
thousands Of acres of private lands
within the boundaries of government
projects, the owners of which declined
to sign up for water, but whose hold
lngs have been enhanced in value by
the construction Of the bitches.
Private Owners Taxed.
If land owners on the projects who
have already signed up for water,
proceed with the creation of irrigation
districts, they will force the owners
of private holdings into the districts,
and thus reduce the reclamation cost
per acre by distributing it over a
large area.
Judge King says in part:
"The advisaility Of adopting tie
irrigation district plan in place of the
waters users system has been mate
rally increased by passage of house
bill No. 1866, known as the Smith,
bill brings the reclamation service Of
the government in full harmony with
the irrigation district plan.
Subject to Leins.
cit subjects the land, the title to
which may still remain in the United
States, to liens for irrigation district
purposes, requiring thereby that all
lands, whether entered Or unentered
public lands, bear their share of the
burdens of the construction, operation
and maintenance charges of the pro-
ject included within the district, ex-
tending the taxing power Of the dis.
trict not only to the entered lands for
which no title has been procured,
but to the unentered lands as we'll.
The lien created by the organization
of district for construction and op-
GRAFTON purposes will follow the lands,
and when entry is made, or when
patent is secured for the entered
lands, the entryman will thus be re-
quired to share the burdens with all
others in the project included with,
in the district.
Furthermore, all private land
holdings within the district, whether
SUBSCRIBED to the payment Of water
right charges or not, will, with all
other lands, entered or unentered, be-
come subject to taxation for the pay
ment Of their share Of construction
and other expenses.
Will Reduce the Cost.
Judge King goes on to say that the
new arrangement will reduce the pro
rata cost Of construction, operation
and maintenance, and will make all
who are benefited by the government
help to bear the burden,
and make it possible for the farmers
concerned to take advantage of the
recently enacted rural credit act. He
insists that if those on reclamation
projects are to receive the benefits
of the federal banking act, rural
credit loans, or even loans by the
state or loans by large loaning COM
panies, the projects will have to sub
stitute the irrigation plan for the
present system.
The time required under the diff
ferent statutes for perfection of or
sanization so as to place the entry
men and land owners in a position to
Zeal advantageously with the Unit
I'd States varies from three to six
months. 1t is important, however,
hat immediate steps be taken with
view to receiving legislative aid, if
'equired, prior to the coming session
# the legislature.