The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1920-07-08
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LOST
EVERY YEAR IN SNAKE RIVER
BY LETTING IT RUN WASTE

= Nthcr ana Trying 10 place. the Hthnl'
Tor mistakes past and gone. The deat
Z past never pays any dividends TO any
body, and the more We scrap owe
things have been, the less progress
We make
There is water enough running
down the streams OF Idaho every year
10 irrigate nearly all the irrigabl,
land in the Snake river basin and
mean by that from the Dubois pro
jet all the way down the Uppel
Snake river valley aud as Tar west al
the lower valley as the OREGON Hive
: This includes the Boise. Payette
Weiser. Salmon. Owyhee anu aalno,
streams that flow into them. We
have great lakes in our mountain,
and great drainage area that can bs
made 20 fiji these streams and there.
by Increase the water supply.
The intent OF the Idaho reclama.
ton association is TO work out oul
problem in businessllke way SO thai
different parts az the country may
have their irrigation problems solved
and not wait a decade 10 do il either
II the people OF the Snake river basin
will wake up TO the fact that they
have il within their power To abso-
lutely solve these problems iand the
writer says without hesitation thai
irrigation Is the biggest question the
people OF irrigated Idaho have 10
deal with n they will really get TO
work supporting an organization
such as We are maintaining. and let
that be the clearing house of their
irrigation problems. We will soon be
on our way toward the complete
reclamation of partially irrigated
Idaho.
IL is a sad sight 10 drive over some
Of these projects where there Is insult
ficient water and see the results OF
human labor wasted ana people inn
poverished, when Il cap be all avoid
ed by adopting good. straight bust
ness methods and going after II. The
government Is IN a receptive state OF
mind. and the state. II the people say
so. can be put In a position whore Il
WIN assist IN this great work financi-
ally. Then we should use every way
and means 10 encourage capital 10
come into the state and help develop
these resources.
The writer can point with pride
and pleasure 10 the achievements OF
the Idaho Reclamation association,
and Il is only a yearling But Il has
not received the support a Is entitled
90. support. not only IN dollars. but
moral support and work. In dozens
OF places the writer has visited. there
nave been solemn promises made TO
do certain things. and these things
were absolutely fci the benefit OF
the people and no one else. yet these
promises have been unkept and no
attention paid 10 them.
The time has come when we must
get together In manner that will
impress not only the government ana
congress, but our state officials that
we mean business. When that IL
done. we will be on our way, and not
before. There have been too many
promises made and too little work
done, and the writer says this in .
kindly spirit. because he has been In
the midst OF Il right along and has
seen the opportunities one by one
slipping by. simply through cariess-
ness and lack OF understanding OF
the great principles upon which
country must be built and made sub
stantial.
We are allowing millions OF dollars
10 flow out OF the state every year IN
he shape of water. while millions OF I
dollars worth OF crops could be rails
al and marketed and taxable proper
" created TO the extent OF two hun
fred million dollars. II we would Just I
gouse ourselves TO the importance I
u getting down 20 business In this /
work.
Bannock county has probably 100. I
100 acres Cf land within It's boundnr-
es that could be irrigated. Think OF
What a mighty source OF revenue A
would be 10 Pocatello every year tot
ave that land irrigated and under I
ultiyatiOn-and that applies TO all
he other counties OF irrigable Ida
%.
II docs not matter II mistakes have
cen made In the past n men did not
ttend 10 business. or failed through
Encouragement. misfortune or other
iuse. The fact remains the same
Iat II we are going 10 make this Ida
D country the great splendid Gem OF
he Mountains the orators rave about
q must have a contented prosperous
and We must have de-
'ndable water rights every year-
ar IN and year out--and for all the
airs 10 come-and this can only be-
me BY an earnest concerted effort II
the part OF the people for the ben II
II OF everybody. II
An irrigation enterprise can only II
cceeu under business organization
a close business management. This i
only an every dap problem. and
Jst 81 the failures that we have had
Idaho In our irrigation enterprises II
ye been. not through dishonesty. {
{ through too much hurry. too
sch extravaganza and a lack OF un.
The waters OF Idaho that flow into 4
? Snake river from all streams are :
lally very dependable. because lie Il
Dwfsll Ia the mountains n Usually
fficient. when the melting zine
nes. 70 fiii al reservoirs and II
used one year, could be held over
~ the next year, which might have
light snowfall. But We are certain
making q mistake. and a mistake