350 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



Taft before the end of his term. The fact of the matter is 

 that he is so strong a man, and so kindly disposed to his 

 fellow-men, that he is slow to detect their weaknesses or 

 their intrigues, as was shown in the case of Pinchot and 

 some others. It is safe to say that he has backbone enough 

 to act decisively at the right time. Some of the men who 

 are criticising and fighting the president now may have oc- 

 casion to regret it before trie end of his present term. 



Suggest 

 Water 

 Payments 

 in Autumn. 



The attention of the IRRIGATION AGE has been 

 called to the fact that the payment, which 

 falls due annually, for water-rights under the 

 Reclamation Law, is collected in April of each 

 year, and this, it appears, is a most inop- 

 portune time at which to burden colonists 

 and beginners in irrigation farming. 



Would it not be well for the Interior Department to con- 

 sider some means of making the time of payment October, 

 November or December, after the settlers have disposed of 

 their money crops? 



Many of the farmers throughout the irrigated west wish 

 to make improvements as rapidly as possible, and in many 

 instances they no doubt spend the money which they had 

 hoarded for payment on the water-right. 



Without close scrutiny of the irrigation law and its num- 

 erous restrictions, it is the impression of the IRRIGATION AGE 

 that some provision may be made whereby the farmers 

 under the federal projects may be permitted to make their 

 payments in October or November. 



This is worthy of careful investigation on the part of 

 the proper officials, but if there is a change it should be 

 inaugurated by the Interior Department rather than through 

 that branch of it known as the Reclamation Service. 



Secretary 

 Wilson's 

 Forestry 

 Policies. 



Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has taken a 

 firm stand on the matter of adding to our na- 

 tional forests, this stand being in favor of 

 the settler, and the Secretary will hereafter 

 investigate, personally, all grievances brought 

 to his attention and concerning the curtail- 

 ment or restriction of individual rights along the borders 

 or inside of forest reserves. The Pinchot policy, it is said, 

 has been abrogated and a more progressive method has been 

 instituted for the benefit of the West. Judge D. C. Beaman, 

 of Denver, who recently returned from Washington, states 

 that the Washington Post of April 21st contained a column 

 interview with Secretary Wilson, in which it was stated 

 that the Pinchot policy as to homesteaders and miners 

 is not only to be discontinued, but a policy, the very re- 

 verse of it, is to be immediately put in operation. 



Judge Beaman called upon the Secretary and directed 

 his attention to the article. He inquired if it were true, and 

 if the present forestry officials could be expected to change 

 their former attitude inasmuch as the Pinchot policy of hold- 

 ing every acre within forest reserves had so permeated the 

 service, even to rangers, that he feared it would be to some 

 of them like turning a somersault backward. 



Secretary Wilson replied that the matter contained in the 

 article was true; indeed, that more was true; that he was 

 hereafter going to give his personal and almost exclusive 

 attention to forestry conditions, and that any homesteader with 

 a grievance could write and be assured of prompt and care- 

 ful investigation of his complaint. 



This clearly indicates that every homesteader now has 

 a real friend in authority. Heretofore, Pinchot's "pull" with 

 the Roosevelt administration made it difficult for Secretary 



Wilson to carry out views without direct conflict with the 

 president. All this has been changed, and it is clear that 

 henceforth the Secretary of Agriculture, under whose de- 

 partment forestry operations are conducted, will dominate 

 the situation, rather than be dominated by the forestry head. 

 This is as it should be. No self-respecting cabinet officer 

 or head of a department could tolerate the Pinchotian con- 

 dition of interference. 



Warren 

 Bill 

 Passes 

 Senate 



The bill presented to Congress last April 

 by Senator Warren authorizing the disposal 

 of surplus waters upon Government Recla- 

 mation projects, has been approved by the 

 Senate and now stands favorably reported 

 in the House of Representatives. It is 

 hoped by the sponsors of the measure in the House to 

 secure its consideration and adoption before the adjourn- 

 ment of Congress. On another page we reproduce the 

 bill, together with the reasons advanced by the Secretary 

 of the Interior for its recommendation and some trenchant 

 arguments in its behalf, advanced by Senator Borah of 

 Idaho in the course of a masterly argument in the Senate. 

 The bill has been most carefully drawn and a critical 

 study of it refutes every objection that could be urged 

 against it as a possible attempt to curtail or to interfere 

 with the administrative power of the states with reference 

 to the waters within their borders. In the present un- 

 happy state of many of the Government projects due 

 to the lack of funds, and with the "Reclamation Bond 

 Issue" still knocking at the door of Congress, the measure, 

 if enacted into law would prove a godsend to many a 

 settler now steeped in pessimism. It would enable the 

 Government to deal with settlers who may have organ- 

 ized themselves into a corporation or district or who may 

 conclude to go under the Carey Act. In such a case, the 

 Government might release a portion of the project and 

 dispose of the necessary water already impounded or ap- 

 propriated. 



The so-called "North Side" section of the Boise- 

 Payette project in Idaho, is an instance in point. The 

 settlers there, tired of the interminable delays, could or- 

 ganize an irrigation district and take the water claimed 

 by the Government for the part of the project. The 

 Reclamation Act has always worked a hardship in that it 

 compels the Government to deal with individuals alone 

 and not in a corporate capacity. It remains with the 

 settler in every case to decide which course to adopt. 

 Pressure should be brought to bear to urge the passage 

 of this measure upon the members of the House of 

 Representatives. 



Summer 

 Tourist 

 Rates to 

 Pueblo. 







In discharging his duties as Secretary of the 

 Board of Control of the Eighteenth National 

 Irrigation Congress, Mr. Ralph Faxon has 

 nowhere exhibited more clearly his ability to 

 get gratifying results, than in his success in 

 consummating an agreement with the West- 

 ern Passenger Association, whereby tickets to the Irrigation 

 Congress will be sold at summer tour rates from eastern 

 points. Eastern people will thereby avoid the necessity of 

 purchasing new tickets in Chicago ; i. e., buying a ticket in the 

 East to Chicago, and another at Chicago for Pueblo and west- 

 ern points. 



Unquestionably, this agreement will be an active agent 

 in promoting the interests of the congress in eastern and 

 central states. New York had a substantial delegation at 

 Spokane last year, and this has encouraged the Board of Con- 



