Show Water Mater U Users er P Protest otest 1 1 F F. S. S Musser lusser L. L P. P Anderle n and d R. R E. E Miller 1 a committee representing represent represent- ing fug users of water under Uintah In- In dih n Irrigation tion Project canals have requested the Free Press Pless to publish the following petition which is n now w being signed ah ana ane 1 which will be forwarded forwarded for for- warded to Washington immediately Uintah Basin Utah May 30 1922 To the Congress of oC the United States Washington D D. C. C Gentlemen Friends Fellow Citizens We Ve hereby petition your yonI b honorable honorable honor honor- nor nor- able body for relief from the oppressive oppressive oppressive sive despotism of the Uintah Indian I Irrigation Project of which we are arc area a vital though unconsidered part We are arc white settlers of the Uintah Uintah Uintah Uin- Uin tah basin in Utah and water Wlter users under the above named project gathered g here front from all parts of the United States and led hero here by luring which declared this particular location to be a paradise In the making It was said to be unrivaled as ns to climate as to fertility ty of or soil as to abundance of water and we were told that the irrigation ditches were fully completed ready to use and would be operated under under under un un- un- un der such a plan that those who bought Indian land would be given an unrivaled with no other expenses connected except an annual maintenance cost that would likel likely never fifty cents an acre We find since coming here that we were deceived This a hard country to prosper in While the climate is good water Is abundant and the soil is productive after untiring efforts efforts efforts ef ef- ef- ef forts on the settlers settler's part to make it so the water system is managed In such a wa way that no user has a single solitary word to say about itHe it He is told to pay par up or his gate will willbe willbe be closed and there his rights end Most of his money is spent by incompetent Incompetent in incompetent In- In competent employees whose knowledge knowledge knowledge knowl knowl- edge and regard for tor economy and ef efficiency efficiency efficiency ef- ef are singularly lacking DurIng During During Dur Dur- ing the last five years the maintenance maintenance maintenance nance charges have grown by leaps and bounds until conditions have reached such a stage that the settler cannot meet them and he is compelled compell compell- ed to revolt against a state of taxation taxation taxation taxa tion without representation that is grinding him to the ground On the first da day of May this year notwithstanding the fact that the rivers rivers were overflowing the ditches were practically practically callY empty emptio because those in charge were afraid that some someone n who had not been able to pay up would take a little water with which to start his crop If If f for r redress dress We w we appeal g set get t none Inoue no e. e W W p ar are told These are re our orders from tram Washington and we must carry rry them out We ask ash af for bread and w we get a stone t What What are ire we to do Is it not possible f fir Jr some Step to be taken whereby we I pl pioneers pioneer's me rs o of this new country m may y have a voice in the management of ol olour our own affairs affairs' In other words can not do something that t will clear our great republic republic-of fos fostering fOil faa within her her bosom a and despotism which work in injustice injustice injustice tice that for or which our fathers fought in the sacred war We respectfully recommend that the Uintah Indian Irrigation Project as it Is now constituted be abolished abolish abolish- ed and that the property pertaining thereunto including all books and records all ditches and laterals all buildings all all implements vehicles and machinery all water rights and filings and an any other assets together er v with all liabilities be turned over overto over overto overto to the land owners of f said project and that said land owners Including Indians Indiana and whites b be permitted to organize a corporation for tor the purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose of ot administering and carrying on the business of said property and of distributing water to the lands of said owners This with the strict proviso that each acre of land under under under un un- der the new organization shall represent represent represent rep rep- resent an equal responsibility with Avith every even other acre for the liabilities and general expenses of the corporation corporation corporation corpor corpor- and that each such acre shall give to its owner a voice olce in inthe inthe inthe the of said corporation also that the stock of the corporation corporation corporation corpora corpora- tion shall be so classified that the acreage under each ditch in the system system system tem shall be for tor the of such ditch and no others |