The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-03-08

The owners of SO per cent of tn
land in white owernship on the Fl
Hall Indian Reservation, including
tarily signed the agreements to pa.
their proportionate share Of the cos
! of improving and completing the If
rigation system. Ordinarily in ;
matter of this kind, which is in eff
feet bond election, bare majorit.
rules; and it is indeed seldom in sucf
cases that the question is carried 81
decisively, and so nearly unanim
ously as by a vote of SO to 7.
Taking the entire area of the pro
ject, however, that is, the land IL
both white and Indian ownership
all of which must, Of course, be con
sidered, the result is still more
nearly unanimous, as practically IS
per cent Of the entire area affected
is covered by the agreements, leav'
ing only per cent still holding off
The question having already been
settled so decisively, it would ordin-
arily be expected that the will of the
majority would rule, and that the
work would proceed. In an apparent
attempt, however, to avoid unpleas-
antness, and promote the amicable
relation hitherto always existing be-
tween the government and the land
owners on this perfect, the Reclama-
ton office has been directed to make
every effort to get the remaining
small acreage signed up, and instruc-
lions have been issued by the treas
ury department that will result in
closing down the work after the ex-
penditure of the small amount OF
funds remaining in the present
authorization, unless the entire area
is signed up.
1t is thus seen that the owners of
about per cent of the land affected,
by their failure to sign the agree
ments, stand to prevent the improve
ment and completion of the irriga-
ton system, involving the expendi-
ture Of three-quarters of a million
dollars here within the next three
years. If the work is not done-the
capacity of the canals and laterals
not made sufficient to serve the land
with the water supply to which 1t is
the loss to the farmers on
the reservation as result OF insuf-
ficient water supply, will probably
exceed within the next three years,
the above amount, large as it may
seem.
AS result of the long and strenu-
Gus efforts of Senator Fred T.
the father of the FIT. Hall
project, and Idaho's able and eff
ficient congressional delegation, and
especially Congressman Addison T.
Smith, 100000, is to be made avail
able for the completion of the pro-
ject, conditioned only on the require
ment that white landowners shall
agree to reimburse the government
for their proportionate acreage share
Of the amount in twenty annual in
stallments.
In other words the government
stands ready to advance $76O,000.
Of this amount, approximately
s228,O0O is to be reimbursed by
white land owners in period of
.wenty years, leaving approximately
$4,000 to be applied by the govern
nent for the lands in Indian owner
ship.
The payments called for by the
amount to but rs cents |
,er acre annually.
1t is seen from the foregoing that |
he great majority of the land hold
rs are willing and anxious to pro-
iced with the work. A very few, by
heir failure to sign the agreements,
nay bring upon the entire commun-
ty, including themselves, financial
osses many times greater than the
lominal amount they are called upon
O agree to pay.
Briefly, the facts are these: About
wenty years ago the government
ystem at an estimated cost of IS an
ere. AS the years went by 1t was
ound to be entirely Inadequate, and
fter many years of sacrifice and
ardship on the part of those depend
ng on 1t, the government and most
t the settlers decided 1t is advisable
0 make a good system, and an ap-
reputation was made and work
tarted on the belief that all the set
Iers would join in the undertaking,
Tho there was an express agree
lent that all the settlers to benefit
Y it must share in the cost of the
and engagements.
low when the heavy work is about
, be commenced, there are still
ONE settlers who are Of different
lind from the main body, and de-
line to sign, saying they have water
nough, or that they will get along
18th what they have. The secretary
( the treasury says he will refuse to
ay out any more money than what
as already been set aside and made
valuable, which is not much. If that
done the enterprise will be
bandoned.
The main body Of the settlers in {
st that this would be an injustice to