THE I RE I G ATI OX AGE. 



167 



The Governors' Conference, which 

 Protect will be held at Denver, Colo., April 



Settlers 9, is going to try to find some way 



and Honest to put Carey Act and private irriga- 

 Investors tion projects, bankrupted or aban- 



doned by under-financed or blue-sky 

 promoters, on their feet. It is to be regretted that 

 Secretary of the Interior Lane has found it impos- 

 sible to be present, but in calling the Conference, he 

 made some suggestions, which will prove of value 

 in guiding the deliberations of the body. It is, in 

 turn, pleasing to note that most of the arid state 

 governors will be present, and that nearly all of 

 them have appointed as delegates men well ac- 

 quainted with irrigation affairs. 



If this Conference succeeds in devising methods 

 of rejuvenating the defunct projects, it will go down 

 into history as one of the most important meetings 

 ever held in the United States. And there seems 

 at this time, little reason why some plan should 

 not be found. Secretary Lane has suggested co- 

 operation of the United States Government and the 

 states in re-financing the projects. We have little 

 doubt, that when he offered this plan, he spoke with 

 authority and for the administration at Washington. 

 The Secretary is also on record as favoring the 

 issuance of $100,000,000 in some sort of irrigation 

 bonds to continue reclamation of arid lands. Such 

 a sum added to a similar sum, raised by state bonds, 

 if used in a competent, honest and business-like 

 manner, would complete all the present defunct proj- 

 ects and build many new ones, and the returns in 

 increased wealth and better citizenship to the states 

 and nation, would be many times that amount long 

 before the due dates of the bonds. 



Whatever is done, the rights of the settlers on 

 the defunct projects should be given first considera- 

 tion. Their rights should be fully protected. 



The bondholders and stockholders, so far as 

 their investment is legitimate and free from water- 

 ing, should also receive consideration. Those who 

 invested honestly are entitled to some return on 

 their money. In practically every Carey Act proj- 

 ect, the state governments were parties, at least by 

 their silence, in inducing investors to purchase these 

 securities. The states of the west are too big and 

 too rich in latent as well as developed resources, to 

 afford to permit themselves to totally repudiate 

 their parts of the responsibilities for the failures. 

 Their citizens are of a kind who would not know- 

 ingly allow such action. 



If the treasuries and the credit of the United 

 States and the states are drawn upon for these 

 funds, proper safeguards should be afforded. This, 

 no doubt, will have to be done by legislation both 

 in congress and in the various legislatures, and it 



should not be done in haphazard, fly-by-night 

 manner. 



The Conference can also accomplish much for 

 uniformity of laws and procedure in regard to irri- 

 gation affairs. 



The irrigation boom days of the West are over. 

 The West is entering on a new era of substantial 

 development. It offers a field for investment of 

 hundreds of millions investments that will pay 

 big and honest returns. Now let the Governors 

 and their confreres at this meeting set the wheels in 

 motion for such legislation as will keep this de- 

 velopment within the bounds of legitimate busi- 

 ness, and the W'est will once more enjoy its full 

 meed of prosperity. 



Better methods of farming mean 

 Alfalfa better land, better land more abun- 



Week dant crops, all of which lead directly 



in the to better homes, moral improvement 



Northwest and a more efficient people. 



There is the keynote of the 

 "better farming campaign," which 

 is now being conducted in the states of Idaho, Ore- 

 gon and Washington. It began with "Alfalfa 

 Week," observed during the past month in every 

 school house in the three states and by the Granges 

 and other farmers' organizations. It will continue 

 throughout the year, and with certainty of big re- 

 sults for the farmers are thoroughly aroused. 



This year's campaign is a continuation on a 

 much broader scale of one begun a year ago, when 

 the Holden Improvement Committee was organized 

 among the people of the Inland Empire. Professor 

 Holden, director of the agricultural extension work 

 of the International Harvester company, and his 

 staff of lecturers emphasized these points : 



The abandonment of the ruinous one-crop sys- 

 tem. 



Adoption of a diversified system of farming. 



Increased production of alfalfa and corn. 



More cattle, hogs, and dairy stock. 



A silo for every barn. 



The breaking up of the over-large wheat firms. 



In addition to the educational campaign this 

 year, many bushels of seed corn have been pur- 

 chased and are being distributed to the farmers. 

 The best home grown types have been selected. 



These samples of corn are sent to those only 

 who are willing to keep a record of the results ob- 

 tained and report to the committee this fall. 



It is the object of the committee to follow up 

 this plan from year to year, collecting each year the 

 most improved types with a view to establishing 

 the best varieties for each locality. 



