Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-08-27

- EUCH interest has been manifest
V Of late In the matter OF reclama
@' uon OF our lands, both as 10 lr
rigstion and drainage. and the question
In taking such a grip upon the attention
Of our public men that it naturally oc-
ours tn the mind OF those interested I'm
the work In the various public land
states that now In the time TO strike the
rock of public sentiment and continue
to strike, until the waters shall he n lie
TO gush forth, through the liberal and
judlcious appropriations made by Con
gress and the various states them
selves.
The initiative taken by leading men
from thirteen irrigation states In Salt
Lake City last year. resulting in an or
ganization which is now known as the
Western States Reclamation Associa-
ton, was the first concrete step taken
to secure for the West that attention
and assistance, from the Federal gov
eminent, which has so long been neces-
sary, IL the various states compris-
Ing the association are to occupy that
position of dignity and importance
which other states of the union with
out half the resources such as we en-
JOY, have been occupying for the last
several decades.
TO the end that our necessities may
he made known, the governors of sew
eral states, headed by Governor ID. w.
Davis of Idaho, president of the ASSOC
citation. and other leading men of the
West, journeyed to Washington ID. C.,
and there presented their claims TO
various committees of senators and
representatives and Ia so doing plant
ed seed which in future days will bear
the fruits OF development In the form
of happy homes and productive farms.
A representation was left behind to
water and cultivate the soil so plant
ed and although at times the sun beat
down hard and the dry winds OF in
difference had somewhat Of a wither.
Ing effect, yet at the close of the SEES
sion on June sufficient results In
the nature of q favorable sentiment
had been obtained. to Justify those
engaged In the work to feel that the
time was coming. after politics had run
their course, and tho two bodies OF
Congress- turned their attention to tho
real needs of the country. an Increase
would be given In such generous man
ner m to cause q hymn OF thanksgiv-
ing to be sung from Seattle down to
the banks Of the Rio Grande.
The Smith-Fletcher bill fsthsrsd In
the house by that energetic. always
on the Job congressman from Idaho,
Honorable Addison T. Smith, and in
the senate by Honorable Duncan g..
Fletcher OF Florida, gentleman
whose sympathy has always been with
Al. ALI a An
system for both irrigation and drain
age by taking advantage OF the various
irrigation and drainage district laws
Of the respective states so that upon
the organization of districts for either
purpose, and complete surveys and es-
Inmates as TO cost of construction being
made and presented to the Secretary
of the Interior, he shall proceed TO
investigate, and properly check the dis
trlct presentation. then II satisfied the
project Is feasible and the cost within
reasonable figure. he may order the
work to commence and proceed under
the direction OF the reclamation service
until completion.
Provision il made for the needy set
tier 10 secure u loan In sufficient
amount to enable him to mako his
start so that the awful sacrifice OF
time and comforts made by the early
settler may he overcome, and that
when the project Is an assured. going
concern, which should be not later
than from four TO six years. the
bonds OF the district may be taken over
and "A long time loan made by the set
tier covering period Of thlrty-thrse
or thirty-fOur years. The money, pluS
interest, will be converted back into
the reclamation fund so that other
projects may be undertaken, because
the fund will be OF a revolving char
acter growing and increasing with
the years In this way our problems
will be solved. our population In
creased and In time OF stress tho ma
ton can look TO the West for its sub
sistence and not suffer disappoint-
ment. In this bill all veterans OF the
world war have preference right Of
ninety days over other citizens.
The Smoot Rural Homes bill which
passed the senate In April, failed only
by fluke at the last moment and
seemed surely to become law In De
cember meets great national need
Known as the SmoOt Rural Homes
Dill, thls law enaDleS buNlS HnHi "
show the way to every ambitious set
tier, but does not ask ldm TO carry the
entire load.
1t swings wide open the door of OPP
pOrtunity, affording every man the adj
vantage to work out his own destiny
Every state, country and I'm fact every
township, Is afforded the Invaluable
services of the governments reclama'
ton engineers, not only FOR investga'
ton, but for the actual construction
of the works and subdivision and set
Element of the land. All of this
is accomplished without calling for a
single dollar of the Federal funds, and
consequently without increasing the
delay incident TO obtaining national
appropriation
The Smoot bill contemplates the
initiation OF projects by providing en-
terprises, and often these will be or
Ranized into districts under state