Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-05-30

is organized II must be for the pur-
pose of acquiring the canal system,
good lawyers say that the balance
due the Land and Water Company
on all outstanding water contracts
would have to be paid by the irri-
cation district. You can't by or
ganizing an irrigation district annul
validi and existing contracts now out
standing with the State and Govern
ment under the Carey Act law If
such district is organized and an
attempt is made to control the canal
system what will be the liabil:t:
that will follow.
1t is because of all this uncertain
ty and doubt that loan companies rs
well as the Federal Land Bank hes
itate to make loans on lands under
such circumstances. A definite and
certain water right is what you now
have and must have as the basis FOR
value on your land. What about the
present Canal Company. The Times
knows and so do you that the Feo-
erai Farm Loan Bank, and all the
large loaning companies have made
most careful inquiry into the Canal
Company and the present irrigation
system. and are satisfied that il is
good, safe and well managed, what
better assurance can you have than
the fact that the Government as well
as these loan companies Will take
your canal stock as security and loan
you money on it. Your land has
reached splendid values and good
careful land buyers are buying every
day and paying good prices. Don't
you think it will produce another
era of trouble.
Look up the standing of the water
contracts of some of the men who are
responsible for bringing this question
up, havet hey paid for their canal
stock? What is behind all this. Who
is going to pay? This Canal system
has cost over six million dollars, it
is a big enterprise. one of the larg-
est irrigation systems in the country
and requires the highest skill to sue
cessfully manage and operate it. Why
should an attempt be made TO cut
out the land owners who live in the
villages as well as nonresident own
ers from any voice in the choice of
men. to handle this great business?
DO you think this will work. will If
not open the door to endless litiga-
ton?
People will not buy land or loan
money under such conditions. The
fact that no large irrigation enter
prise Is operated under the irrigation
district plan is shown by the provi-
sion in the law limiting the indebt-
edness which the directors could in
cur to $1,000 unless an election is
FIRST called to authorize it, Just
suppose there should be bad break
i'm the canal-it might happen. even
the Government canals do break, To
repair a break costing over $4,000
might be delayed until an election
could be called to raise the money
We need and must have such an or
ganization such as the Canal Com
pany which can meet the various
conditions as they arise and proper
ly manage and maintain the large
property.
In an article by Mr.. Stevens ap
pearing in another column. ani
WHO, by the way. while NOT THE
OWNER OF ANY LAND OR " : l.
ER ON THE PROJECT. ye; mas
] 70 -.
, ize this irrigation district no doubt
expecting to run it or be employed
, by IL. In this article he calls atten.
b ton to that clause in the petition
proposing "that the settlers and land
owners within said district shall act
- jointly and through said irrigation
5 district in the protection. promotion
ana advancement I'm the mutua
( rights and interests of said settler
D and land owners and tt
= cooperate with the North Side Cana
T Company. Limited. in the operation
q and management of said irrigation
I district" Now this sounds fine an,
0 was intended to induce people e
sign the petition. Now in what wa,
o can a land owner, unless he happen
+ to live in the district have any voice
4 in this. Now district cannot be or
r ganized for any such limited purpos
- as the men responsible for the do
y ings we'll know. The Supreme Cour
n of Idaho has passed upon this ques
d tion and has held that "the irriga
l. tion district is quasi-municipA
|. corporation organized for the specl
n fic purpose of providing ways an
e means of irrigating lands within tn
G district and maintaining an irriga
ton system for that purpose"
a Now 1t must be understood ther
4 cannot be double management. eth