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THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



Although they had been invited to 

 Scant attend by Secretary of the Interior 



Courtesy Lane, irrigation bond holders re- 



For Bond ceived scant courtesy at the Denver 



Holders conference. The West is not to 



blame for this. The West bitterly 

 resents by legislative acts and by individual action 

 of its citizens any attempt to use the states and their 

 rich resources for stock-watering, blue-sky promo- 

 tions. The Western man, who has dug with his 

 own pick in a prospect hole, has built laterals on 

 an irrigated farm or has engaged in any of the other 

 pursuits of the pioneer, knows ftie value of a dollar. 

 While there are long chances involved in many of 

 his enterprises, he seeks to interest no one in such 

 investments, who can not afford to take these 

 chances. Because of this spirit, the West has taken 

 the lead in protecting widows and orphans and 

 other innocent investors against nefarious finan- 

 ciers, who would take their money in return for 

 beautifully gilded but valueless paper, bearing the 

 word "stock" or "bond." 



The West wants the irrigation bond holders to 

 get back every dollar of honest investment, if there 

 is any way to make this possible. The West cannot 

 be expected to pay for all the water that was inject- 

 ed into many of these enterprises. It is the spirit 

 of the West to strive constantly to keep its credit 

 first class. 



The blame for the treatment of the bond hold- 

 ers rests with certain persons with peculiar interests 

 to serve, who deliberately set out to pack the con- 

 vention. 



Judge Bell, of Montrose, Colo., a 

 Make the pioneer advocate of government 



Water irrigation of arid lands, advocated 



Right before the Denver conference the 



an Asset changing of the credit fiction, which 



makes the water right of the Fed- 

 eral Water User a liability, so as to make it an 

 asset. The IRRIGATION AGE has long contended that 

 these water franchises are of such value as to 

 furnish ample security, for the government claims 

 against the settlers. If the water rights were so 

 recognized, the Water User's land could be freed 

 from the present cut-throat first mortgage, which 

 the government now takes, and he would have a 

 good security to offer, when he needed money to 

 develop his farm. We are glad to see such men as 

 Judge Bell join with us in the fight to bring about 

 this needed change. 



In an article, which shows much 

 "Prior careful study and thought, E. P. Os- 



Leveling"; good pleads in this issue of the IR- 

 An Idea RIGATIOX AGE for Congressional au- 



Worth While thority under which the Secretary 

 of the Interior may direct "prior 

 leveling" of all lands on government irrigation proj- 

 ects ; the cost of such work to be added to the con- 

 struction charges. This is a big idea which has 

 been tried out in other countries and proven suc- 

 cessful. It is an idea that should command the at- 

 tention of Secretary Lane and the Reclamation offi- 

 cials. It is an idea, which also ought to be consid- 

 ered carefully in connection with future financing 

 of private, state, or Federal and state co-operative 

 projects. 



From our own observations, there is no doubt 

 that the settler tackles the biggest end of the re- 

 claiming of the desert, when he begins to develop 

 his farm. It is true also that many have had neither 

 the strength nor the capital to win out against the 

 obstacles encountered, and have quit the projects, 

 bankrupt. 



The United States government has undertaken 

 this vast reclamation work and it is the duty of the 

 government to do everything in its power to make 

 it succeed and to help those settlers, who take up 

 farms on the projects, become successful. On many 

 of the projects, "prior leveling" will no doubt go 

 a long way toward solving the serious problems, 

 which now confront the settlers. 



We do not agree with Mr. Osgood that further 

 legislation is necessary to make "prior leveling" a 

 reality. We believe that the Reclamation Act of 

 1902 gives the Secretary power to order such work 

 done, if he believes it will be beneficial to a project. 

 Secretaries of the Interior, including the present one, 

 have authorized the use of funds for roads and 

 other improvements, far less germane to the suc- 

 cess of the projects. Therefore, Secretary Lane, we 

 believe, can feel free to order the Reclamation en- 

 gineers to place the desert lands in a condition that 

 will make them advantageous to the Water User, 

 entering upon them. Thousands of Water Users, 

 already on the projects, no doubt would be glad 

 also to avail themselves of the privilege of having 

 their entire farm leveled. 



Because of the condition of the land on the 

 Truckee-Carson project, where M>r. Osgood is a 

 homesteader and where he has put $10,000 or more 

 into developing his farm, "prior leveling," would 

 prove of immense value and probably spell success 

 for the project. The same is true of other projects, 

 although we do not believe it is necessary on all 

 those being constructed by the government. 



