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Show DIXIE PROJECT, UTAH 47 The farmers of Washington County are now farming with only a small percentage of the water necessary to produce and mature their crops. Only half of our tillable land is now in production because of the lack of sufficient water. It should also be noted that the crops grown in this area, or that would be grown in this area, would be crops that are not surplus crops and would not receive subsidy payments. It is my sincere belief that this project is a feasible project and that over the period of the repayment that the project will not be an expense to the Federal Government but that it will repay the original investment with interest in addition to giving this county the necessary raw material, water, which is the lifeblood needed to continue its growth and development in the future. -. To supplement that testimony I'd like to emphasize two points just a little that have been made here tonight. Having had the duty of supervising the rationing program of water in the city of St. George a few years ago, I'm quite aware of the fact that there is nothing more important to any area than the water. Without it we can't grow and we are now practically to the limit of what we can do until something of this nature takes place. The other thing I would like to mention is that many of our people have had to leave. We talk about farming, and one of the best crops we raise in this area is the people we raise here, and up to date most of them have had to be exported to someone else to use. I feel that this development of the Dixie project is the last great hope that we have, and that until this is completed, our growth here is almost stopped. In fact, the period of the last few years the growth of Washington County, and the growth of St. George has been very meager, and even at that it has been one of the best that has been shown in this southern end of the State. I am sure that this project will do the thing that we need. Thank you. Mr. ROGERS. Thank you, sir. Mr. Lang Foremaster, Washington County attorney will be our next witness. Mr. Foremaster. STATEMENT OF PHILLIP LANG FOREMASTER, WASHINGTON COUNTY ATTORNEY Mr. FOREMASTER. Mr. Chairman, I am Phillip Lang Foremaster, Washington County attorney and secretary of the Dixie Project Association. You have heard statements from several groups tonight, different organizations, and I think there is one group you have not heard from and it is very important, that is the young people of this area. And while I am not presuming to be their spokesman, I'd like to say a word from their point of view. Most of the young people leave Washington County. The reason being that they are faced with the hard economic fact of life with earning a living for themselves and their families. Some of them returned, and we make a living. I think, by and large, that you will find that young people here are aggressive, intelligent, and ambitious as any group anywhere you'll find, but they need opportunity, and they need opportunity to develop themselves and grow economically and build themselves. Our growth here is limited by lack of water mainly. We have the resources here, but they are undeveloped. It is our hope that the Dixie project will be enacted, therefore, insuring our economic development, not only for myself and the people in my same generation, but for generations to follow us, and I think I can say this without any qualifications, that the people of |
