36 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



man had entered the list against him. It appears 

 to be merely a case wherein no one cares to take 

 on a purely imaginary responsibility and make an 

 effort to supplant Mr. Hooker with a man of the 

 requisite ability. Anyhow as they say this will 

 take place soon, and the Congress, with new blood, 

 should take its old-time position of importance. 



Congressman Hayden of Arizona 

 Hayden has performed good service for the 



Helps people of his state in the success of 



His his efforts to secure an appropria- 



State tion of $100,000 to complete the di- 



version dam above Florence. He 

 also obtained $75,000 to commence the construction 

 of the main canal which will carry the water from 

 this dam to the lands belonging to the Indians and 

 white settlers in Final county. His request for 

 $125,000 to complete the diversion dam near Saca- 

 ton was likewise granted. This dam will be con- 

 structed with a bridge superstructure, thus pro- 

 viding a much needed means of crossing the Gila 

 river. 



This should be good news to Governor Hunt, 

 as, if we remember correctly, this is the point at 

 which his party tried to cross by auto, when their 

 machine was stalled in mid-stream and the digni- 

 fied governor, with his friends, were compelled to 

 strip and wade ashore, carrying their clothes on 

 their heads. 



Simple little affairs like the above often result 

 in great industrial accomplishment, and it is our 

 opinion that the Governor was glad to render every 

 assistance to Congressman Hayden in his efforts 

 to provide not only a good dam, but a safe means 

 of crossing the treacherous Gila as well. 



State Engineer W. S. McClure of 

 Suggestions California has made some good sug- 

 Leading to gestions in his annual report to 

 Public Governor Johnson concerning a law 



Safety to extend the state's power and give 



it broader supervision for the pro- 

 tection of the public over the construction of power 

 and irrigation dams. 



The suggestion is made that the power of the 

 State Engineer be increased so that his decision 

 will be binding with regard to plans for the for- 

 mation of irrigation districts. Mr. McClure makes 

 it clear that it should be unlawful to erect a dam 

 unless the plans therefor be approved by the depart- 

 ment of engineering, or to maintain a dam that is 

 found to be defective or dangerous until measures 

 satisfactory to the department have been taken to 

 make it safe. 



Authority is also asked to keep representatives 



of the department present during the time required 

 for construction or repairs. 



The AGE has a strong foreboding that opposi- 

 tion to this change will be met with from the repre- 

 sentatives of the power companies, but the move- 

 ment is so clearly for public safety that it should 

 receive hearty support, not only from the law- 

 makers but the public at large. 



Develop 

 Home 

 Jrade 

 Also 



In another article in this issue we 

 attempt to show how large sums of 

 money are expended annually in 

 foreign countries in an effort to de- 

 velop trade for the products of the 

 manufacturers of this country. This 

 plan has met with a reasonable measure of success 

 and results have multiplied since the beginning of 

 the European war. 



Work of this character should be prosecuted 

 with unusual vigor at this time so that this country 

 may enter markets heretofore controlled by Eng- 

 land, Germany and France, and by opening up new 

 markets for our goods, prove their superiority and 

 thereby lay a foundation and enable us to control 

 important development in this direction in the 

 years to come. 



It may, in this connection, be permissible to 

 point in vigorous terms to the conditions in our 

 western country, where a reasonable outlay by 

 manufacturers or the Government may greatly in- 

 crease the sales of all classes of farm machinery 

 and equipment. 



To illustrate, we will take as a base the 90,000 

 water users under Federal Projects. At a modest 

 estimate the average annual investment of each 

 water user for tools and general farm necessities 

 is $200; multiply 90,000 by 200 and we have a total 

 expenditure of eighteen millions by this class alone. 

 Add to this the 150,000 irrigation farmers under 

 other systems, private, Carey Act and District 

 projects, and the figures reach a total worthy of 

 consideration by any government or group of pro- 

 ducers of material and equipment of the character 

 designated above. 



In view of this, one is inspired to question the 

 motive of individuals or Government officials who 

 are laying obstacles in the way of agricultural de- 

 velopment thereby restricting the earning and pur- 

 chasing capacity of these farmers. 



The continual nagging of industrious ranch- 

 men and the restrictions and uncertainties imposed 

 by poorly framed laws tend to neutralize a large 

 part of the effort put forth, and furthermore, create 

 a feeling of antagonism toward Government offi- 

 cials where under better laws and conditions a very 

 different situation would obtain. 



