The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-01-08
Horse Sense
BY E. J. PARKINSON. Great Falls

Just what constitutes horse sense"
anyway? OF course 1 have learned
that 1 can be wrong occasionally and
that people who differ with me are
sense, or justification of any kind in
spending $500 or $1,000 for only S1.OO
worth of goods or services.
l have in mind particularly the Mar
las Project and the Missouri SOuris
Project which have been recently auth
orized by Congress for construction by
the Bureau of Reclamation The Mar
las Project proposes to irrigate So,
900 acres for $4,000, 900 or $1,000 per
acre. The Missouri-Souris Project pro-
poses to irrigate 100000 acres for S54,-
100000 or $4,000 per acre. That cost
is for just delivering the water to the
highest point on the farmers land. The
additional cost of constructing farm
bitches and laterals, drains, land level
ing, break king, fences, buildings and
other improvements to be borne by the
farmer, are on top of the project costs
Inasmuch as most unimproved irri-
gable land in Montana can be purchas-
ed for 10000 per acre or substantially
less, it would seem to be quite obvi-
Gus that it is not horse sense to spend
$4,000 to 100000 per acre to create
$4,000 per acre land At least 10 per
cent of the land owners under these
projects are opposed to them. AS long
as our members of Congress allow
themselves to be high pressured by vo
ciferOus minority groups into author
izin and apprOpriating funds for prof. |
ects of negligible value, there is no
hope for a reduction of our federal
budget and federal taxes.
1t is not so much that I object to |
spending so much money although |
that is extremely important. What 1 |
am concerned with here, is spending
ANY amount of money without getting
5alue received. The Bureau of Rec
amation is spending $134,00,000.00 on
hese two projects to irrigate $4,000 H
lcres at an average cost of S750.00 per
Lcre. The Montana State Water Con-
ervation Board, according to their
ecord for the last 20 years, would, if
hat amount of money was made avail
bile to them irrigate more than o.
33, 600 acres, or more than ~ times as
much This would more than double
he present amount of irrigated land
n Montana and would distribute it all
yer the State instead of in just two
ocalities Not only that, but every dol
ar would and could be repaid, which
reclamation projects previously men
toned. Which of the two plans could
e called horse sense?'
The Federal budget and the Fed
raj taxes must be reduced. Every bill
on dollars of Federal taxes is $500
Or every man, woman ana cnllQ IN the
nited States. 20 billion dollars of Fed
raj budget is 1920, or close to $1,7OO 1
axes per year for the head of every l
amiIy in the nation. Now don't think
on are not paying it just because l
our Federal Income Tax does not add
D to that. Don't overlook the fact that
e, the consumers, are also paying
le Federal Income and all other taxes
our groceryman, clothing merchant,
Lvern proprietors, automobile dealers
nd manufacturers, railroads and other
concerns, all public util-
les, and all other businesses includ-
g the farmers. OF course, it has to be
lat way because their customers are
leir only source of income. All of
hich emphasizes the fact that we, the
,nsumers are vitality interested in re-
icing the Federal budget. Even the
arias and Missouri-Souris projects are
'sting in Federal taxes 1895 for the
lad of every family in the United
a ties, s2.08 of which is absolutely
asted.
/ say, reduce unjustifiabIe spending, i
duce Federal and other taxes. Liqui-
tie those chicken hearted Congress- 1
en- who haven't the CUTS to use their
vn horse sense and say "nO" at the
CHIT time. HOW ABOUT A LITTLE
ORSE SENSE FOR A CHANGE. Ill