The Delta independent., 1924-10-31
The Truth About Reclamation

''We advocate a eadustment Reclamation charges
which viii include charging off to the of
sve costs of construction and the temporary time
payments overdue from settlers We further believe that
cost Of lrrgatng unfit lands should be deducted from
structon costs and that payment by settlers should
on long time basis of 81 per acre
per year If payment is based crop values it should not
exceed per cent per annum crop values
settlers should have adequate representation on o
determine crop values Reclamation project settlers are not
repudators They willing pay what they Justly owe
but they should not be required pay for the mistakes
ernment officers and the Republican party pledges its best
efforts to protect them from the consequences of such
mistakes"
The above clause from the Republican State Platform
drafted by Phpps He believes in it heart and
soul 1t sets forth clearly what he seeking to accomplish for
settlers irrigation projects
Now as to Phpps past record On January 3rd 1924 he
introduced bill authorizing the Secretary the Interior
to defer payments of Reclamation charges rentals penal
ties already accrued which might before January
1925 under the original Reclamation Act The bill promptly
passed both Houses of Congress- being signed by President
Coolidge May g. 1924 Had failed Department could
not have delivered the supply water to the Uncom
pagre and Grand Valley projects for growing crops this year
unless the water actually paid up all irrg
ton COSTS charges and penalties The Department would
been compelled to shut off the supply of water and this would
have meant disaster.
The had previously been followed by Senator
Phpps in 1922 and 1928 when he secured similar temporary
relief by Congress.
On April 24th last the Colorado senator introduced bill
providing for payment of construction charges
pahgre project $1OO per per annum This proposal
promptly considered by Congress connection with the
rrehef measure recommended by the Fact Finding Commits
sion The general bill finally reported to the House and
Senate which was included in House Bill 9559 authorized the
Secretary of the Interior all irrigation projects and
to report his findings to Congress for final settlement of Rec
amahon costs taking into account soil fertility inadequate
water supply other physical and mistakes
whereby project costs have been charged against smaller
area of land than the total territory under the project The bill
provided that hereafter general expenses of the Reclamation
Service should be chargd to the general fund instead of being
apportioned to various projects
The measure passed the House June 4th 1924 and the
Senate the following day. when to conference because
of amendments that did not affect reclamation matters The
Conference Committee of the houses agreed upon report
That report objected to by Senator Key Ptman, Demo
cra of Nevada because the committee had stricken
appropriation for the Spanish Springs project in his own
state Pman defeated the entire bill by fibuscr, which
also prevented the of other important The
statement circulated in Colorado that the Conference Commit
tee struck out clause of the Fact Finding Commission
Reclamation Plan is false The bill H. r. 9559 is the
finished business of Congress and it will doubtless
pass early in the next session When it becomes law, the
Secretary Of the Interior will promptly undertake the inves
cation of costs of the Uncompahgrc Project and recommend