The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1918-02-08
TO THE MILK RIVER
VALLEY LAND OWNERS

Continued from page four)
closely related to this feature, name
ly, that in case one inadvertently
failed to pay his reclamation taxes,
the penalty would be the same as in
of failure to pay ordinary our
ty taxes. If any farmer had serious
and was unable to pay his
charges for any considerable length
of time, the hardship would be no
greater than under the present plan,
for the rate penalty under the re-
clamation extension act is one per
cent a month with refusal to deliver
water after a years arrearage.
"a third advantage is having the
project organized exists in the fact
that there are a number of import
ant ways in which legal representa-
tives of the people can cooperate
with the project manager, which will
occur to the mind of any one who
gives the matter much attention. Lo-
cal administration would be benefit
ted and where the water users are
organized representations can be
made in a much more effective man.
ner in Washington than is possible
in the case of a mere voluntary or
ganization, which may or may not be
considered to thoroughly represent
the sentiment of the project.
There Is a fourth advantage, as
I see it: On the Milk River Project
there are about 10000 acres Of land
which "a be irrigated by means OF
the project system for which water
right application has not been made,
These lands can be brought into the
project and required to contribute
to the operation and maintenance
costs of the project through the ir.
rigation district plan. The project
is paying the full operation costs
each year which it's present water
right application area and the
amounts which are paid by the water
right applicants-which should BIZ
paid by the owners of these two o.
three thousand acres-is a perman
ent loss which those who pay will
never receive back in any form. The
paying water users are therefore los
ing 100000 or $4,000 a year.
THE irrigation district is a pub
lie corporation which is formed onl.
on a petition of a majority of tn
land owners after a properly adver
tised hearing as to the boundaries o
the district and no contract invOlvin'
the payments of moneys to the Uni
ted States can be made without tn
consent of the ma iority evidence
as required by the State Law.
1.-The organization of irrigation
districts does not mean in the slight
est any change in the close relation
between the United States and tn
project. The government will cor
tinue to operate and maintain tn
project so long as appropriate
therefore is made by Congress-, an
until the water users vote to TAX
over the control themselves. A pre-
visions to this effect has been appro,
ed by the department in contrat
forms for the Sunryside, Washing
ton. Elephant Butte, New Mexico
n and Ell Paso Valley, Texas, irrigatio
y districts. When. however, the pee
pie OF any project conclude the
desire to take over the opers
e ton and maintenance of tn
project of the irrigation distri'
is by far the best from of o.
e ganization for the purpose. There
y fore organization earlier is merel
a step which will eventually be ne
essary in any case, since the reclam'
n ton act requires that when tn
r major part of the land has paid IL
n the water right and the control I
r the system shall pass to the waite
users.
THE people should understan
l. distinctly that the formation Of tt
e irrigation district and c%ontractir
with the United States will NJ
! change the VERY fovnp>h 1n 110n of r