The Delta independent., 1920-01-16
THE ouEsr'oe eFoRg THE
WATER U ..tS' ASSOCIATION
(By A. c. McClanahan.)


Just now at the turn Of the year
when everyone is hoping that the new
year will be a better and happier one
than the last has been, it may seem
an inconsiderate thing to disturb this
afterglow OF Christmas with the harsh
reminder that the Uncompahgre Val
ley Water Users Association will meet
at Olathe on the 3rd of February to
determine by its action whether. for
US, the new year really will be
better year or not.
II is nevertheless a fact that this
meeting must be held. 1t is further
fact that questions of some moment
must be decided at this meeting, and
II they be decided without careful pre-
liminary thought our ill-considered de-
cisions may vex us worse in.the new
year than the undecided questions
have vexed us in the old.
We must elect directors. and we
must decide whether the Association
shall take over the operation, and main
tenance of the project which, thus far,
has been operated by the Govern
ment's Reclamation Service.
It Is not for me to tell you how to
decide this question-or, at least.
do not think / shall. At the most
shall analyze the question and thus do
what one man can to help another to
see q problem in all its various as
poets. Then shall expect each water
user to form his own conclusions and
act accordingly.
For two reasons analysis will be
better than advice. The first reason
is that farmers have received so much
advice about their own affairs from so
many unreliable sources that they
have quite naturally become inclined
TO resent advice from any source as
an unwarranted impertinence. The
second is that the advice which the
water users have accepted regarding
project matters has SO often borne
bitter fruit that all of us have rather
got Into the habit of suspecting that
any advice regarding such matters is
an artfully constructed wood pile built
for the purpose of concealing a sinister
African
assure you that concealment is not
the purpose OF this discussion. On the
contrary I propose to tear down n
wood pile and expose each particular
stick OF II to such scrutiny that II
any lurking Ethiopian really Be hidden
within he shall perforce be caught un-
less he takes to his heels -
Under our latest contract with the
Government the Association may take
over the operation and maintenance
OF the project whenever, by a vote Of
Its stockholders. II elects to do so. We
are not obliged TO do It. but we may.
We shall not be obliged to do II till
the entire cost OF construction has
been repaid to the Government, and
this will not have been done till 1912.
In the meantime the operation and
maintenance OF the project by the As
sociation is optional with the Associa-
tion itself. II we now decide not to
accept this privilege we shall still
have the privilege OF deciding other
wise at any subsequent meeting.
Now follow me carefully even II I
seem a little tiresome. II is your
own AK that is being ground. so don't
get tired Of holding the AZ so long rs
am willing to turn the stone.
We must either decide to take over
the management OF the project our
selves, or we must decide TO let the
Government continue to manage 1t.
II the Government continues to man.
age II, II will manage II in the future
ms II has managed II in the past.
II we manage IL ourselves az a water
users association the board OF direc-
tors elected at each annual meeting
will employ a manager. determine his
fitness for the position. fix his salary.
and dictate his policy. Directors are
elected very largely by the use Of
proxies representing stockholders who
who are not present at the election.
A skillf,ii and industrious collector Of
proxies can control such an election
and thereby name n whole board Of
directors. BY so doing he can select
q manager. fix his salary. dictate his
policy, and determine the personnel OF
his assistants from the photographer
to the ditch rider.
II we attempt to gain the benefits
OF operating the project ourselves and,
at the same time. attempt TO escape
the dangers OF the proxy system. we
shall find only one avenue of escape
possible: we shall he obliged to organ
ize an irrigation district.
Consequently we must choose one OF
three things: operation and mainten-
ance by the Government; operation
and maintenance by the existing Asso-
citation: tho dissolution Of the Asso-
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