THE IRRIGATION AGE. 259 



and cannot be had for less however much they would like it. Of the 

 private companies I know of but one where it is three and a half an acre. 

 This is satisfactory to the land owners and was fixed by the supervisors 

 on their petition. The next highest is three dollars, a rate I fixed my- 

 self on consultation with many land owners thirteen years ago and to 

 which there has never since been any objection. 



The next highest is a dollar and seventy-five and a dollar and a half 

 and I have never known any fault found with these by anyone under the 

 canal. Then come many at a dollar and some at seventy-five cents and 

 a few at fif ty, all satisfactory. In all these cases of the lower rate there is 

 practically no restriction on the amount of water allowed and in many 

 cases the irrigator has so abused this kindness that he has ruined some 

 of his land. 



Pew if any have measured the work of as many windmills as I have 

 and I find that the price gladly paid for repairs by the average smarty 

 who proposes to be "independent of monopolies" runs from three to five 

 times as much per inch per year as it does under the highest rate I know 

 of for far better delivery and efficiency of service from a ditch. There 

 are some companies managed by swine, and some by those who would 

 like to be if they only knew enough. But these are the rare exception and 

 under most of the companies having money now tied up in land and 

 water a man who means to work and will do a good honest job, that will be a 

 credit to the settlement and not hoodoo it out of several years growth 

 with bad work, can get land and water cheaper than he could put the 

 two together in any part of the United States and can get almost his 

 own terms as to time and conditions of payment. And in some cases 

 he can make the whole payment in produce if he is the right kind of a 

 a man. The trouble is bad enough but cannot be charged up to water 

 monopolies. It lies elsewhere and the sooner it is faced the sooner will 

 we place this great subject of irrigation where it belongs. And, as I will 

 show farther on, the difficulty cannot be removed by state or national aid, 

 although this will be a great help. The main trouble is in those cases 

 where the rights are all private or most of them and parties are only too 

 willing to furnish the money provided it can be shown that there is a 

 reasonable interest assured on the construction money. If you cannot 

 do that you will have a hard task in getting the state or government to 

 touch it. Irrigation works can still be made to pay and pay well but 

 there is only one way in which it can be done. 



