Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-12-08
SENATOR BORAH WOULD
OPEN UP THE WEST
In An Open Letter to Geo. w. Perkins He Criti-
ciseS Governments Conservation Policy
Shoul Encourage Irrigation Projects,

terprises have been checked for want
of funds to go forward. MIR. Lane
in his first report, most brilliant
and instructive document, as secre-
tary of the interior recommended
the use of 500, 100000 in the rec
lamation of our arid lands and stated
in most conclusive way the necess-
ity OF 1t. But nothing along that
line has been done of late. There
are large areas of agricultural lands
upon which settlers have been wait
ing for months and years hoping the
government would put water upon 1t
to enable them to reclaim It,
I'VE appropriate money for rivers
and harbors, one-half of which is
sheer, shameless waste IL not worse
But we starve the appropriations for
the reclamation of arid lands. The
last rivers and harbors bill carried
at least S2O,0OO,O00 for which the
| American people will never get any
return. We riot in our appropria-
tions, but the home-builder, the pro
ducer, must wait,
"While we are dealing with the
high cost OF living would 1t not ne
we'll to reconsider our policy with
reference to these things and to enter
upon a thorough plan to reclaim ev-
ary acre OF our arid lands and our
swamp lands which are at all Yalua-
BILE for agricultural purposes. Can
ada greets her settlers with open
arms. She aids and supports them
in every way to make homes, mani
Testing sympathy and interest at ev-
ery turn. Why should we not do
likewise?
cit is hard to understand why the
man or woman who goes out into
these waste places to suffer the sac
rifices necessarily entailed to make
a home should not receive the utmost
consideration OF the government
rather than its Indifference OF posi-
tive encouragement.
"The east has been led apparently
to believe that the west is opposed
to conservation. 1t is not But We
do believe that non use Is not con.
servation. We make no objection
whatever to any system Of laws which
will protect our natural resources
from exploitation or monopoly, but
we want an opportunity to develoT
aud use our natural resources. We
believe that they can be used anc
developed by those who are in good
faith seeking to build up great com
, monwealths without at the same
time subjecting them to mere ex
ploitation, monoplastic grabbing.
Above all we want our agricul
, tural lands released and reclaimed
and that is matter in which not onl!
: the west is interested, but the whole
I country is interested. There are ag
: l II.
| vet reduced to cultivation in excess
! in area of all the agricultural landi
Of some OF the greatest powers o
? Europe. In considering any perma
r nent and effective plan for the rednc
/ ton OF the high cost Of living. shoult
|, we not consider such questions a.
4 this?
0 II am led to write this letter I,
: you because know of your great in
[ terest in such matters and the stud
t which you have given To the subiec
g is evidenced by your letters and b.
y aur addresses. We must appeal {
e the east in order to get relief TIL
n votes of the public land states in tn
: congress are small in number w
# are at the mercy Of our friends VIII
seldom visit us, although 1t may b
h possible that they will be more in
o clined to visit us in the future.
e 'tI would like to see such men a
: yourself and others become interest
+ ed in that proposition. You can nc
s. only be of incalculable service towar
J. the settlement of the west In a bon
: fide way, but you can serve the caus
n In which you and so many others ar
Is so deeply interested, a cause whic
p will hncomp mnra crucial hv for
n the coming years than It is now.
Very respectfully,
4 WILLIAM E. BORAH