The Delta independent., 1920-01-16
DELTA INDEPENDENT DELTA, COLOMBO tAMUARY 1s 1e2o

10 mOuOpOllz6 tuo COutAoi "a sAA0
project. Indeed, they were quite -
powerless to prevent It as were the
water users at the lower end; but this
simply accentuates the fact that II
the present Association takes over the
operation and maintenance OF the pro-
iect the water users will not run It.
That will be done by the man or group
of men that can collect the most prox-
les. Now, it is conceivable that such
a man is the man who-on account OF
broad vision, keen perception, sound
judgment, fairness, honesty. and tact
is best qualified to be entrusted with
the entire control of this project. It
is conceivable, but is it true? 1s 1t
so true that you would rather entrust
this project to him. with all his vir-
tues, than to Uncle Sam with all his
faults? n0ff
Again. am not trying to natter
anyone into thinking well OF me but
trying to get down to fundamental
facts-even II proxies could be elimi-
mated and the water users could there-
by be assured of having directors OF
their own election. have we water
users ourselves that breadth OF vision
and soundness of Judgment that We
would require in selecting the direc-
tors who would choose our manager
and dictate his policy? Can we get
out of our own light? We can raise
fine wheat and spuds and hogs. We
can handle water on our own ranches.
We know our own soil and Its require
ments. our own markets and their
possibilities But can We cooperate
in harmony and accord with thou
sand other farmers having widely diff
ferent needs to carry out all the meas
ures that are necessary to insure the
continued prosperity OF the whole pro-
ject?
The ability TO administer large az
fairs implies the ability to administer
the smaller affairs OF which the larger
ones are made up. 1t is therefore
pertinent to refer to the difficulty
which many groups OF farmers have In
managing the small laterals that con
meet Government canals with individ;
ual farms or groups OF farms. Many
perhaps most-of these laterals are
privately owned and operated. Since
| have been on the board of directors
innumerable requests have come from
such groups of farmers requesting the
Government to take over and operate
these farm laterals. Usually this has
been done, and the results justify the
belief that harmony among neighbors.
and efficiency OF service. would be
tx.l ali f.,A h,
taken over by the Government.
Now, II half dozen farmers can
not successfully cooperate in manag-
ing little lateral supplying q half
dozen farms, will thousand farmers
of the same kind cooperate more sue
cessfully in managing n great project
supplying a hundred thousand acres,
They must learn to do II, but can they
do 1t now?
The reader who has followed mo
thus far will already have guessed that
the organization of an irrigation dis
trict would solve only half OF the
problem raised by our taking over the
operation and maintenance OF the pro
tect II would eliminate the proxy evil
II would insure the election OF dtrec-
tors selected by the water users them
selves; but II would confer upon the
water users no qualifications which
they do not already possess for max
ing this selection. Furthermore. the
proposal to organize an irrigation dis.
trict was defeated by an overwhe Ginning
vote at the annual meeting three years
ago, and although the chief reason for
this adverse vote has ceased to exist,
the measure was made SO odious that
IL 1t were now proposed again 1t would
undoubtedly be overwhelmingly dc.
feated again
When this proposal was defeated in
1871 the adverse vote was due to the
belief on the part Of the water users
that IL we retained our organization
as an Association 1t might be possible
to hold our construction charge down
to the limit of $500 per acre speci.
lied In our subscription contracts:
whereas 1t was realized that in an irri-
CATION district the construction charge
would be whatever the construction
cost might be. This is now about
S6I0O per acre. Since then, however.
the Association has signed a contract
In which II agrees absolutely to pay
the entirc construction cost, whatever
1t may be or become On this ground,
therefore, there is nothing to be lost
by becoming an irrigation district, But.
as has been noted above, this measure
would solve only half of our problem,
and for psychological reasons 1t Ia
wholly impracticable and therefore re-
quires no further consideration. -.
promised Mt the outset that 1 would
give You an analyHis without advico