Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-05-05
KING HILL PROJECT
MARKS PRECEDENT
Is THE FIRST BANKRUPT CAREY
ACT TRACT TO BE TAKEN UN-
DER UNITED STATES CARE.
TALK BY W. r. KING
OUTLINES AT BOISE SCOPE or
WORK TO BE DONE BY REcLA-
NATION SERVICE.

The Importance OF the government
progressive step In taking over the
King Hill irrigation project and the
tremendous possibilities OF the bill
recently introduced by United States
Senator Chamberlain, providing for
a new scheme of swamp and arid
land reclamation, were stressed by
Judge Will r. King, chief counsel
of the United States reclamation SER
vice, in an address made before the
Boise Commercial club Tuesday noon.
Judge King opened his talk with a
brief explanation Of the greatly in
creased work the reclamation service
has been able to- aehiye because oil
it's growth of the last few years. He
dwelt upon the fact that even the
constitutionality OF the present serv-
decorating law would have been
questioned 80 or 40 years ago but
stated that now there is little if any
doubt as to the constitutional pro-
priety of the measure.
The King Hill project, he said,
is the first of those in which Carey
act troubles have arisen to be taken
over by the government. The legis-
lation which resulted in the trans
Ter of this project to federal manage
ment is a distinct advance.
Another progressive step consid-
cred is that Of making the sale OF
government lands pay for the building
of projects in tina, locality. This
principle has4been successfully applied
on the Yuma, Arizona, project, and
feel sure that such sales might result
in the reclaiming of such land in Ida
no. | myself favor the plan OF using
funds from all government land sales
for reclamation purposes.
"A bill recently introduced in con-
gress by Senator Chamberlain and
vigorously supported by Senator Bor-
ah and Representative Smith Will
make it possible for arid and swamp
land to be reclaimed without legis-
lative aid. Under this measure the
secretary of agriculture may, upon ap-
pbicaton have estimates of a proposed
project made and, If he approves, or
der a local irrigation district to be
formed. This district is permitted
TO issue bonds which are put under
federal control until the success Of
the project is assured. Under such a
scheme, projects could be built at an
exceptionally low rate of interest.
The amortization pan might be made
applicable to the payments necessary.
This legislation would make posi-
BILE the reclamation of 00,000, 900
acres instead of the 100000 which
will be redeemed at our present prog
ress Such land increase would be
certain to make tremendous differ
ence in the country's prosperity
This measure will undoubtedly re-
ceive special consideration at this
time because congress realizes that
the Country is in urgent need Of more
foodstuffs. Secretary Lam has not
taken an active part In the support of
the measure, and his attitude on the
matter has not yet been defined, but
it is expected that the bill will receive
he support of both the department
and the administration.
Judge King stated that in many
parts of the west it is felt that land
owners In certain districts should not
be made to pay for the full construc-
tion costs OF their own particular
projects He showed the lack of logid
in such contention, and pointed out,
too, the fact that this stand is inadvis
able because it prevents the securing
of eastern votes in congress for fur
ther reclamation work.
He paid high tribute to Idaho's set
tiers, saying this state had done as
well II not better than other common
wealths, and that in fact some Idaho
nroiactS had already Maid almost half
the cost of their construction.
Judge King closed by urging COM
mercial bodies in this section to take
an active part in the furthering of the
work OF the Chamberlain bill support
ers, asking that every assistance be
given Idahos representatives in con-
gress who are fighting for the meas