38 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



cannot agree with the writer in The Enterprise that 

 the Government, being the largest investor, should 

 be more concerned than the 90,000 water users 

 whose labors on the land and expenditure for im- 

 provements greatly exceed the total expense so far 

 encountered by the Government. 



As an illustration, let us concede that the actual 

 amount of labor performed on each unit (on which 

 the Federal Government holds a first mortgage) 

 during the 14 years since the passage of the Recla- 

 mation Law, will average $1,000 for each settler, 

 not counting help, whether outside labor or that 

 performed by members of the farmer's family. 

 This sum includes a reasonable price per day for 

 team, and outlay for ordinary farm equipment, 

 tools, house, barns, etc., it will thus be seen that 

 this sum multiplied by 90,000 equals $90,000,000 

 per year, and that multiplied by 14, the number of 

 years during which this law has been in force, 

 reaches the astounding total of $1,260,000,000. 



On the assumption that our figures are correct, 

 how can it be stated that the Government is the 

 largest investor in these projects, or more concerned 



that the great body of men who are working their 

 lives away to bring this property on which Uncle 

 Sam holds a first mortgage to a greater inherent 

 value in the way of labor and improvements, as well 

 as increased productivity, all of which helps in the 

 way of taxation, not only the town, county and 

 state, but the Federal Government as well. 



Would it not be well for reclamation officials 

 and publishers to give these facts consideration 

 before criticizing the overworked settler? 



Would it not also be well to consider why it is 

 that every request made by the settlers is looked 

 upon as an effort to obtain something to which they 

 are not entitled? Why is Uncle Sam so stingy and 

 critical with the Water Users when he is so freely 

 spending money in other directions, that does not 

 produce one-tenth of the returns? How long will 

 it take the Government to learn that there is some- 

 thing radically wrong in this situation? 



The labor employed each year in cultivating 

 lands under Federal projects equals in value the 

 total expenditure by the Government to bring these 

 various districts into existence. 



ORLAND PROJECT ENDORSED BY RECLAMATION HEAD 



We are presenting herewith matter copied 

 from the Orland Register, Orland, Cal., wherein it 

 is shown that the criticisms against that project are 

 not upheld by the head of the Reclamation Service. 

 We quote from the Register as follows : 



"An answer against which there can be no 

 'come-back' to all the so-called reports that the Land 

 of Orland is in a bad way financially, that the set- 

 tlers are unable to meet their payments, their water 

 rents and other obligations, is found in the follow- 

 ing letter from A. P. Davis, director and chief en- 

 gineer of the Reclamation Service. 



"Of the 21,000 acres in the Orland project, but 

 eighteen acres remain on which water right appli- 

 cations have not been made, or acceptances of the 

 Extension Act filed. The entire amount of the first 

 building installment has been met without a single 

 delinquency. 



"These two facts alone should refute any so- 

 called findings of any expert investigators as to the 

 stability and the financial standing of the people of 

 the Orland project. 



"That Director Davis finds that such a fine 

 showing deserves a personal letter to convey his 

 congratulations shows in what regard the officials 

 of the Reclamation Service hold the settlers of the 

 Land of Orland." 



Department of the Interior, 



United States Reclamation Service. 



Washington, D. C. 



December 16, 1916. 

 Orland, California. 

 Project Manager, 



I note by your monthly report for November that at 

 the expiration of six months from the date of the issue 



of public notice on the Orland Project there remained but 

 eighteen acres of the entire project area upon which water 

 right application had not been made, or acceptance of the 

 Extension Act filed. I note, furthermore, that on Decem- 

 ber first the water users' association paid to the local fiscal 

 agent the entire amount of the first building installment. 



Please convey to the officers and members of the water 

 users' association the heartiest thanks of the Reclamation 

 Service for the promptness and completeness with which 

 they have met their obligations, and appreciation of the 

 co-operation which has always been extended by the Or- 

 land Project. 



Also express my wish for the New Year that the pros- 

 perity of the Orland Project and the water users there- 

 under will always be as striking and complete as their co- 

 operative spirit promises and deserves. 



A. P. DAVIS, 

 Director and Chief Engineer. 



A NEW YEAR'S GREETING 

 From the First Assistant Secretary of the 

 Interior, January Number Recla- 

 mation Record 



To the Farmers on All Our Projects: 



The world knows no greater blessing than 

 opportunity to do a man's work in peace, 

 somewhere. There is no higher or more patri- 

 otic duty than to do it well. There are many 

 who have no chance, but you farmers on the 

 projects and we in the Washington work have 

 our chance. Let us all have pride in our jobs 

 and let us do them man fashion. 



ALEXANDER T. VOGELSANG. 



