The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1922-02-17
PROJECT RELIEF
IS HARD To GET
To SUIT FARMER
Congressional Proposals
Do Not Please Settlers
Who Want Sweeping
Changes.

Relief measures now pending in
congress for settlers on government
projects are not relief measures at all,
in the opinion of L. J. Magee, secre-
tary of the Payette-Boise Water
Users association and Henry Griffiths,
association attorney, who presented
the case of Boise projects settlers to
the Caldwell Commercial club Tues
day. evening.
Congress does not look with favor
Upon any appropriation to the recla-
nation fund covering delinquencies
on all projects, together with gener-
al postponement of payments of those
delinquent charges, if a sheaf of tele-
grams received at the water users
association office Tuesday is any crit
erion. On the contrary, temporary
measure giving the secretary of the
interior, Albert Fall, authority to use
his dissertation in authorizing extern
sion of time for one year on con-
struction charges in individual cases
is the bill most likely to be enacted
into law, according to advices from
Washington.
This measure is altogether unsatis-
factory in affording needed relief in
that at the expiration of the extension
time if payments are not made, the
usual one per cent per month and
other penalties for non-payment be-
came again effective on the delinquent
charges.
Western reclamation project rep
resentatives, meeting recently at Bill.
lings, recommended, with the approva
of reclamation service officials there
a sweeping temporary relief measure
together with radical change in tht
present collection system to. spreae
the costs over a larger number o.
years, thereby reducing the annua
burden. Opposition to this program
having developed, the Boise projec
in particular is lining up in an effpr
to place the situation in its true ligh
before congress, Mr.. Magee toll
Commercial club members.
At present, in furthering this plan
community meetings are being helt
over the project and resolutions EN-
bodying the ideas advanced at tn
Billings conference are being every
where adopted. Personal letters EN-
bodying the experience of individual
farmers and their need for relief ar
being written by project farmers de
stined to Idaho senators and con
gressmen.
In answer to a query from Addiso
T. Smith for first hand information
relative to the situation on the Bots
project, the association forwarded tl,i
telegram which Mr.. Smith was t
present Wednesday at the committc
hearing on reclamation project re
lief.
Construction charge $4.65; op-
Grafton and maintenance and
drainage $685.; state and county
taxes $3.50 per acre. The acreage
real estate mortgage indebtedness
per acre is $60.50; the average
chattel indebtedness is SLIGO; the
average interest rate is per cent.
Total fixed charges per acre are
$l6.l6 to which add repairs, up
keep, living expense of family,
incidental hired help, medical at
tendance and many other items.
L. J, MAGEE,
Secretary.
Sentiment in congress does not a
prove relief legislation that proje
farmers, through their organization
are seeking, according to this Telegram
received Tuesday from Congressm'
Smith of Idaho and read at the eli
meeting Tuesday evening:
Committee on reclamation
house working on emergency b
which will authorize secretary OF
terror to grant relief to individual Sc
tiers or to recognized group
water users on project if on inves
CATION it is found that they are unat
to meet payments on construct
charges, all penalties to be waived 9
cepting those occurring after Dec.
next. But few, If any, members
congress in favor of any general {