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THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



Where could they find better opportunity through 

 which to carry on their insidious press campaign 

 in the United States? The United States Congress 

 exposed some of their methods of inducing United 

 States citizens to settle on Canadian lands and in- 

 vest their money in Canada. The Canadians needed 

 a new method of access to the American press. The 

 Irrigation Congress a time-honored institution of 

 the United States. And offered to them for $10,000. 

 Who wouldn't jump at the bargain? 



THE IRRIGATION AGE does not blame the Cana- 

 dians. They made a good business deal. 



The odium of the deal is upon the American 

 citizens, who sold the Congress. 



It is not yet too late to stop this deal. It 

 should be done without delay. 



President Richard W. Young of the Congress, 

 who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, should call to- 

 gether the Executive Committee of the Congress 

 at the earliest date possible, and proper steps should 

 be taken to invalidate the contract made by the 

 Board of Governors. If the expenses of the Irriga- 

 tion Congress have become too heavy for the aver- 

 age western city of the United States, the Congress 

 should return to its old organization with its public 

 spirited non-salaried officials. Then almost any city 

 will be able to entertain the Congress, and it can 

 continue its great work under the United States 

 flag, for United States people and in the interests 

 of the great and still sparsely settled West of the 

 United States. 



The Irrigation Congress is an American institu- 

 tion and must be kept as such. If it cannot be, then 

 once more we declare : "Better the Irrigation Con- 

 gress die than be sold into slavery to the Canadian 

 land boomers." 



It was shortly after the passage of 

 The Story the Reclamation Act in 1902 that 

 of the they gave it a name The Boise- 



Payette Payette project. It was under that 



Homesteaders name that it was widely advertised 

 by the Reclamation Service publicity 

 department through newspapers and magazines, by 

 glowingly written booklets and even picture shows. 

 All these told of the vast possibilities which settlers 

 would find on this wonderful government irrigation 

 project in Idaho. Settlers began nocking in there 

 in 1903, taking up land both under the Boise river 

 portion and the Payette river section. 



Then in true bureaucratic style the Reclama- 

 tion Service rechristened the enterprise. They 

 called it the Boise project. The Payette section 

 was disowned. No money to build it was the 

 excuse offered. Settlers on 95,000 acres of land 



were left stranded victims of a heartless bureau 

 of their government. 



Politicians obtained vast sums of government 

 money to irrigate privately owned lands, but there 

 was no money for the homesteaders on the Payette 

 river. These homesteaders are real, red-blooded 

 Americans and they did not quit. They have fought 

 on. At the Denver irrigation conference recently, 

 Comptroller Ryan of the Reclamation Service told 

 representatives of the Payette homesteaders that if 

 Secretary Lane could obtain from Congress a bill 

 authorizing the issuance of $100,000,000 in irriga- 

 tion certificates in other words a government loan 

 enough money would be allotted to complete the 

 Payette project, now known as the Black Canyon 

 Irrigation District. 



The portion which the Payette folks would re- 

 ceive is admittedly small, but nevertheless it means 

 life and realization of long deferred hopes for these 

 homesteaders, and so every man and woman among 

 them, fighting, patriotic, loyal citizens, have once 

 more put their shoulders to the wheel to help Secre- 

 tary Lane obtain this vast loan a seemingly hope- 

 less possibility in view of ever-increasing appro- 

 priations and Democratic promises of economy. 

 Such a bond issue would mean development in the 

 West that would be of lasting benefit to the whole 

 nation. It would put millions of acres of idle, 

 unproductive lands to work. THE IRRIGATION AGE 

 would like to see this money made available. We 

 believe it is the best investment this government 

 could make. We also want to see it made available 

 so that these sturdy folks in the Payette valley may 

 come into their own. 



These Payette homesteaders have proved them- 

 selves patriots under conditions that would make 

 less strong-minded and courageous men and woman 

 anarchists. Their story is a pathetic one, yet one 

 to make every American thrill with pride. 



One of these Payette country folks has written 

 their story, which is printed on other pages of this 

 issue of THE IRRIGATION AGE. In it is an appeal to 

 all the nation to help the Payette homesteaders 

 boost Secretary Lane's plea for a $100,000,000 loan 

 for Reclamation projects. Read this story by F. G. 

 Burroughs. He calls it "A Story of a Hop'e De- 

 ferred." Then sit down and write to your Con- 

 gressman. Tell him the story of these home- 

 steaders. Urge him to help Secretary Lane obtain 

 this vast loan, which he seeks. Tell him, too, to 

 see to it that the Secretary is forced to so clean 

 house in the Reclamation Service that no other 

 American settlers will ever have to face such hard- 

 ships because this bureaucracy may desire to serve 

 some of its pet political interests. 



