The Delta independent., 1920-01-16

in a big private business building.
But this superiority of private man
agement to Government management
is seen only in those enterprises that
have been built by private initiative and
not in those that have been built by
the Government and afterwards turn
ed over to private management. Not
the least of the evils of government
paternalism is that the ultimate own
ers of a project depend, through SO
long period of years, upon the man
agement of their project for them by
their paternalistic Government that
they become at last unwilling, and
even unable. to manage it for them
selves.
This must complete my Indictment
Of Government operation and mainten-
ance.
In favor of Government operation
and maintenance 1t must be said that
while Government work is expensive
it is substantial The Gunnison Tunnel
is triumph of engineering 1t is a
hole some ten feet wide and six miles
long through a mountain. It was bored
by two gangs working simultaneously
from the two opposite sides of the
mountain. So accurate was the meet
ing of these two gangs that when
man stands at the east portal Of the
tunnel he can see the light of the sky
at the west portal-through a tunnel
some ten feet wide and six miles long
have walked through the tunnel once
and ridden through 1t twice. have
stood at the east portal and seen the
light at the west. and l know. The
statement that the tunnel is crooked
and that 1t does not supply us with
water-statements which we all have
heard-are stupid falsehoods.
Now, note the difference between
the metal fumes with concrete ap-
proaches in a Government ditch, and
the flimsy wooden structures in pri-
vate bitches. Compare the broad pro-
tecting dikes of Government bitches
with the inadequate little ridge along
private ditch.
Further, the Government has no
favorites. Although a Government
employee is not impelled, by the fear
OF losing his job. to make any super
human exertion. he is not tempted-by
the same fear-to show any partially
to an influential water user While the
Government manages the project. one
water user viii get exactly the same
treatment that any other water user
would get in the same place Govern
ment employees have no friends
| among the water users to please and
no enemies to fear. While the Govern
ment manages the project we may be
sure OF the same permanence in con-
struction, the same impartiality In
operation. and the same fearlessness
In recommending measures that are
desirable even though they may be
unpopular.
Let us examine next the advantages
and disadvantages of operation and
! maintenance by the Association.
The Gunnison Tunnel Project is n
great irrigation project representing
an expenditure of some $6.700,O00. De-
pendent upon 1t are farm lands worth
several times that amount. The man.
agement of an enterprise of this mag
nitude requires a breadth OF vision. a
keenness OF perception. swiftness
and sureness OF decision. an honesty
of purpose. and a degree of courage
that not every man possesses. Among
the members of the Association there
undoubtedly are some men who pos
SEES these qualifications in a suffici-
ent degree. but what assurance have
we that eleven of them would be elect.
ed at each annual neeting7 II would
be easily possible for few men to
obtain sufficient proxies to elect an
entire board of directors against the
wishes Of the great majority OF the
actual water users present at the meet
ing. What assurance have we that the
few men who would be most likely
to do that are those who are most
richly endowed with the qualifications
that ] have specified-breadth OF vi
sion, keenness of perception, swiftness
and sursness of decision, honesty of
purpose. and courage? I am writing
as a farmer who lives on his farm and
Is dependent upon the project irriga-
tion system; but / grant without dis
cussion that there are in our Associa-
tion some men who. although they are
not farmers, are beteer able. to pro-
tect the farmers interests. on the
board OF directors than the majority
of the farmers themselves would be.
ask again, however. what assurance
have we that men OF that character
whether they are farmers or not
would be the choice OF the man or
group Of men that always holds the
thickest sheaf of proxies?
Further. no man is fit to be en-
trusted with the appointment of al