204 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



are three years old are practically established and 

 self supporting. It is the unanimous opinion of all 

 those familiar with development that nowhere else 

 have they seen such rapid progress in the cultiva- 

 tion of land or such large returns in the earlier 

 years of settlement. One of the inspectors was 

 formerly a successful farmer in the Imperial Valley, 

 California. It is his belief that as much progress is 

 made in these settlements in eighteen months as 

 was made on an average in the Imperial Valley in 

 five years. 



One cannot help being inspired by the hope, 

 the gratitude and the tremendous industry that is 

 everywhere manifest. The government that in- 

 augurated such measures understood what democ- 

 racy should mean. While Australia and New Zea- 

 land have led in the movement to aid settlers, their 

 example is now being followed in other developing 

 countries. South Africa has adopted it, and the 

 newspapers report that British Columbia intends to 

 adopt it. The Canadian Pacific Railway is loaning 

 each settler on its irrigated tracts up to $2,000 in aid 



of these initial improvements. Even the Argentine 

 is beginning to consider making such aid a feature 

 of its colonization policy. 



The question for consideration by the United 

 States is, first, whether it is right to subject the settler 

 to the hardships he has now to endure, even if he were 

 able to survive ; and, what is more important, whether 

 it can continue development unless it offers equal 

 opportunities with other countries. The conditions 

 for giving all the aid to settlers which Australia now 

 furnishes are far more favorable in America than they 

 arc in Australia. The tenant farmers of the middle 

 west furnish a large body of the very best class of set- 

 tlers. The country does not have to look for them 

 on the other side of the world. The lands are here, 

 the works have been built. All that is needed is the 

 inauguration of some business-like scheme which will 

 provide the needed funds, and exercise the necessary 

 direction and oversight over the settlers. 



The greatest need in this country is the complete 

 use of the works already built. Everywhere from 

 Colorado to California are private and public works, 

 (Continued on Page 216.) 



DAVIS MUST EXPLAIN COLORADO ATTACK 



ARTHUR P. DAVIS, chief engineer of the Recla- 

 mation Service, faces an inquiry concerning his 

 authorship of an article, which it is claimed was 

 without basis of fact and which has done irreparable 

 damage to the Greeley-Poudre irrigation project in 

 Colorado. Charges in writing against Davis will 

 be submitted to Secretary of the Interior Lane, fol- 

 lowing a hearing at Denver before W. A. Ryan, 

 comptroller of the Reclamation Service. It .was at 

 Mr. Ryan's suggestion that the charges are being 

 put in writing. 



Dolph E. Carpenter, former state senator, au- 

 thor of the Carpenter irrigation bill, and at present 

 representing Colorado with Attorney-General Far- 

 rar in the Colorado- Wyoming water dispute, hurled 

 the charges. 



Tolerance of such attacks as Davis had made, 

 Carpenter said, threatens the progress of any state 

 upon which they happen to fall. 



"Mr. Ryan," said Attorney Carpenter, "I in- 

 tend to demand of Mr. Davis a retraction for one of 

 the most unfortunate falsehoods ever published by 

 a public official concerning Colorado. 



"It is not only a falsehood to which I refer, it is 

 one which can be regarded as libelous, and Mr. 

 Davis might be prosecuted on that score as a private 

 citizen. 



"Under his own signature, and I can say with- 

 out fear of being contradicted, without taking even 

 a reasonable precaution to ascertain the truth, Mr. 

 Davis had published in Engineering News an article 

 which has not only cast an odious reflection on some 

 of Colorado's best-known citizens, but has placed 

 the biggest individual irrigation project in the state 

 in the process of utter deterioration and stagnation. 

 Five million dollars' worth of bonds hang in the 

 balance, and the Greeley-Poudre irrigation project, 

 of which I speak, faces a crisis which absolutely 

 threatens its completion. 



"It is hard to understand how an official of the 

 national government will go so far as to criticize an 

 enterprise that means everything to a growing state 



upon false statements, and declare, as in his article 

 concerning the Greeley-Poudre project, that $2,000,- 

 000 of its bonds were held by its directors as appro- 

 priated profits when there was absolutely no founda- 

 tion for the statement. 



"Irreparable injury has resulted. Innocent 

 farmers who have relied upon the project for a 

 promising future, with scores of holders of our 

 securities, have become suspicious. It has destroyed 

 the standing of the bonds of the project. 



"We have utmost confidence in Mr. Lane at 

 Washington, but I cannot see how we can derive 

 any benefit from his constructive policy if such at- 

 tacks, founded on irresponsible, flimsy information, 

 are tolerated. It is destructive to a growing state." 



"I am not acquainted with all facts," said Comp- 

 troller Ryan in reply. "To me there must be some- 

 thing wrong in your charges. 



"Such an act of a government official would be 

 reprehensible ; it demands rectification and I would 

 suggest that you place the matter in writing. As 

 for Mr. Davis, I don't understand how he could have 

 written anything except facts. He would have no 

 reason to do so, and it is not like him." 



"We, too," replied Carpenter, "have pondered 

 over the cause or reasons and we have come to the 

 conclusion that Mr. Davis, in his efforts to discredit 

 the statements of State Engineer Field that private 

 enterprises have done more for Colorado than the 

 government, takes a roundabout route to flay us 

 with unfounded statements." 



LOST RIVER PROJECT SOLD 



The Big Lost River irrigation project in Idaho, 

 in which $2,000,000 is said to have been invested, 

 was sold April 8 at a receiver's sale to the Utah 

 Construction Company, for $35,000. It is under- 

 stood the company will complete the project and 

 protect the interests of the Corey Brothers' Con- 

 struction Company, of Ogden, which holds liens 

 aggregating $650,000. 



