Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-01-13
GOVERNOR MAKES
RECOMMENDATION

Continued From Page II
!. ration that the water OF the stale G
r Idaho belongs TO the people OF tn
state of Idaho and ia not owned, an
cannot be owned, by any corporatio
y or individual except In its use for tn
purpose of irrgating the lands, ans
the lands 30 undertake II to be irrigat
0 ed must receive q sufficient amour
: crops. Any company that 10 not abb
to perform these functions shouk
have NO further rgh,s or should hav,
receiver appointed and the prlvi
leges granted to 1t revoked. Tn,
period OF compromising seems Il
have passed, and the hour for action
IN my op.n4on is here. Every over
yuIr Aade W the COMPANY 50 far on
some OF these pIojectshaS Resulted
In failure.
The boDdholders clalm more right
for their company ON certain projects
than the state which furnishes the
only means for dts existence, the water
A law should be enacted which would
make 10 possible to take these Ques.
tions at once into the highest courts
OF our state for prompt and quick
solution and adjudication, 20 that
these matters may be cleared I'D
and the mistakes OF the past cor.
rected 90 far as possible.
From past experiences, we should
take a lesson for the future and be-
fore your honorable body ad5ourns,
there should be put upon the statute
books a Law governing irrigation that
should be plain and ample and deal
with the question In nnmistakable
terms.
Flrst--Idaho does not want men to
be solicited to invest either in lands
or irrigation securities, unless the
Investments have genuine
merit and the necessary elements of
success. Our lands are too valuable
and our waters too precious to be
made the subject of speculation by
promoters. The failures of the past |
were not due to Intentional dishonestys
but We're rather the result Of ignor.
ance OF necessary facts and to a su-
perficial knowledge Of the water sup
ply, or to shortsighted and incompe-
.ent engineering, extravagant finan-
ling, bad management and poor op-
srations.
Second-The first declaration to be
made is that the waters of Idaho, be.
onging to the state, are not to be
given or lent to any indi-
'idnal or corporation, excepting SO
ar as they may bs used for benefit.
ial purposes for irrigation, which
hould mean a sufficient quantity of
water to raise ordinary crops, and
ot to be measured out by feet or
aches. but by necessity as 1t de- {
elops from time to time. Amy irri-
alton project where the use of the
Tater can not be made to comply &
18th these provisions should not be a
and before any new ,
arey act segregation shall be asked {
y the state from the national gov
rnment, there should first be com. |
lete investigation made OF the water q
ippy and its adequacy be- deter q
lined before construction 10 COM 8
fenced or financing obligations In
urred. This involves the full and q
determination that a 4,
efinte amount of water shah be con- N
erved for the use of a given area I,
{ land. h
Third-Having found the amount of n
'ater available and the amount of Il
Ind capable OF being irrigated, then Il
D cost OF construction should be de- @
and II found to be too ex- y
Expensive, the project should not be t.
s a.. these .ands ia course Of time /.
II! become valuable enough and the Ii
observation Of water and duty there Ii
will be better understood so that q
hey will be valuable enough some ts
me in the future to bear cost of q,
eclamation that 10 for the present m
rohibitive II
Fourth-Every corporation proposing d.
undertake to irrigate a Carey act al
reject should be required to give abb ct
olute evidence Of Its financial ability
construct its system and to oper- 81
10 1t until such time as tbs owner al
h in, ha1 ~