The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1924-06-04

Possibly one of the most interest
ing articles appearing In behalf oi
the reclamation projects of the gov.
ernment has been issued in an inter-
view In the California Orchard and
Farm with DR.. Elwood Mead. newly
appointed commissioner of the recla-
nation bureau. His statement that
there is a way out for the irrigation
districts and settlements bears care.
ful review and possibly analysis. As
Dr. Mead is regarded as national
figure, in fact international, and that
his word receives more weight than
any man SO far attached to the ser
vice makes his statements of local
interest.
Far from Hopeless
In the first intsance DIR. Mead
states: THE cost of national irrigas
tion is far from hopeless. although
serious mistakes have been made.
II is gratifying to have such an ad
mission from the heads of the de
partment, as this claim has been set
up and no attention paid to 1t b.
United States.
He quotes the success in Australia
as an example. and 1t is his belief
that the government can follow the
same line and make successes where
failures have followed.
Need Capital
DR.. Mead states at the outset that
men contemplating taking oves
homesteads should have some money
$4,000 being placed as the minimum
He cites the success of Java, reviews
the Jewish colony in Palestine and
other sections where success has fol
lowed, but the cruxeof the interview
is In the plan to straighten out the
American tangle, which he admits Is
In bad shape.
Mr.. Mead reviews the government
al losses, quoting this project with
three and a half millions lost to the
government, recommends that cleo
trie power be put to work and sug
gests that the project managers be
expert In handling settlers. should
have agricultural knowledge and be
In constant working touch with the
people who come to make profita BILE
citizens for the section and the gov
ernment. Farmers must be given
first consideration, lands must be
classified, and those that have no
chance to pay out be eliminated, and
demand that the management of the
projects be turned over TO the water
users. as well as the assets belonging
TO them
An Analysis
Taken as a whole there is much
meat In the nut that Dr. Mead pro-
poses to crack. but he along with the
others OF this bureau should have
some further knowledge of the af-
fairs as they exist. not In theory but
in absolute practice.
Take the Newlands project as the
horrible example OF the far west Il
is admitted that three and half
million dollars worth of mistakes
are charged against the people. II l.
suggested that the government wipe
this debt out and credit to loss. the
same as If a battle ship went to the
bottom of the sea. This is sugges-
tion, but ii has not been enacted
into law
There is no good in comparing this
project with Java, as the people here
are practically 100 per cent Ameri-
cans, and they won't work on their
knees, there are too many easier
p-a,-c ~ r,al,a a H,,{,a II 4. od,.;.tol
that more intensive farming should
be followed. and the tendency Is
toward that course.
This project, through lack of GOV
ernmental interest, is inhabited By
possibly 5000 people. where had the
government paid as much attention
to land settlement as it did to max
ing fighting men in army and navy
this valley would sustain $4,000 peo-
pie. and yet have room left 1t Is the
complaint of this unit of the New
lands project that before another
unit is annexed that this be settled
and proper provisions made for its
future.
No Water Adjustments
Attention Is called to DR.. Mead
and the bureau heads to the fact that
water right adjustments both on the
Carson and Truckee rivers have not
been made. Today this project is In
the dark as far as its established
water rights are concerned. The
head OF the Truckee and the Carson
are In private ownership; the gov
eminent after surveys of reservoir
sites at the head of the Carson aban-
doned them and they lapse or were
sold to other interests. This is an
admitted mistake ut the reclamation
office, and before DR.. Mead or any