The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1919-02-18
WATER USERS
OFFICIAL GIVES
HIS ARGUMENT

cd to the landowners by q. w, Ofiield.
signing himself rs president of the
klamath Irrigation District, In oppo-
sit!on to the joining OF the district In
the suit to test the legality of the con-
tract between the reclamation service
and the California Oregon Power
company, under the terms of which
the power OF Link River is practically
turned over to the company and taken
away, without compensation, from
the land owners of the Klamath pro-
ject:
At a Directors meeting of the Ela-
math Irrigation District, held Febru-
ary s, 1919 the question on enclos-
ed ballot was raised: Mr.. Bradbury
favoring, and l beinE~opposed to It,
We decided to submit the question to
the voters of the District. with such
explana tions as would make clear
our different opinions on the subject.
am opposed to the question for the
/ following reasons
First: This matter has been thoro-
ugh'y thrashed out In all of the stepS
leading up to the organization OF the
Klamath Irrigation District, and the
ratification OF the contract between
the District and tho Government. II
has been passed upon by able coun-
sci, both OF the C Government and OF
the klamath Irrigation District. The
proposition was fully presented to
the stockholders by Mr.. A. f.. Elder
NJ
| cath, 1918. and q copy of this paper
was mailed to each voter. together
with a copy OF the proposed contract
between the Government and me
District Immediately preceding the
election at which the said contract
was almost unanimously adopted.
l still believe that the voters acted
according to their best judgement In
the matter with regard to power
rights.
Second: Mr.. Bradbury represent
ed the water users when the con-
tract between the Secretary of the
Interior and the California Ore
gon Power COMPANY was made. I
cannot find in his report any objec-
tion to the features of the contract
to which he Is now opposed. namely
the construction of dam at the
head OF Link River, l further believe
that anyone who. having the oppor-
tunity. does not object at the proper
time. should forever remain silent
D.. Third: All that l can find guaran-
teed to the land owners by the Re-
clamation Law is the right to have
a certain amount of water delivered
TO his land for irrigation purposes in
return for certain amount of mon
ey. The Irrigation District was or
ganized for no other purpose than
to irrigate and drain the lands with
in its boundaries, and now to try and
involve il In a lawsuit over matter
entirely outside the scope of its op-
erations is, to say the least. very
childish proceeding.
Fourth: In my opinion tho most
urgent and vital thing now before
the Irrigation District Is to procure
the release of the mortgages he'd by
the Government against the lands
of the Water Users. There is a pan
already worked out by which we
hope to accomplish this at an early
date IL we do not stop and waste our
time and energy, and spoil our chan
ces of success by mixing in lawsuit
which is not our affair. and in which
the Government will be one Of the
defendants.
II there is any water power which
belongs to the Klamath Project II Is
of vital interest to the units which
irriPate nv pumping and not by
gravity. We, of the Irrigation Dis
trict. have our water supply by grav-
ity flow, which, as have said before
is all that the Reclamation Law
ever promised us. The contract be-
tween the Government and the Irri-
cation District does not contain any
charges for power, and we are not
bound to pay for anything outside of
the contract. II anyone should fight
over power. II is the people who will
use II and will have to pay for It,
and these people are not included in
the Irrigation District. If the prop
osed dam at the head of Link RIVER
Is a bad thing, let those who are di- |
rectly interested do the fighting. The
Herald and few chronic agitators
in and around klamath Falls have
themselves new Moses
to lead US out, OF the Wilderness.
but they got off wrong and heaued
us straight back into the jungles OF
hot air and lawsuits In which we
have been lost for the last ten years.
Vote mo" on this proposition and
let the howlers know that you are
capable OF, running your own affairs.
II you vote YES. you, by this
act. repudiate your contract with
The Government. If you repudiate
your contract with the Government,
you will postpone indefinitely the re-
ease, by the Government. OF the
lens now held on your lands. Fur
her, If you repudiate your contract
i may mean the opening of the
whole question, of District or
II this should re-
iut 1T would mean that you