The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-07
PRICE FIVE N


nal ststes.o
Third. does the provision of the charter
providing for "modffication,'' etc., conton.
plate snch a modification ~ thisf
Fourth, IL IL does and the creation Of
the state upon an equal footing with She
original states" IL not t~antamOunt 70 such Q
modification, would 10 not be well 10 direct
the attention Of our senator's and reprssen
tatives in mgr to the necessity OF legis-
latiOn to that endr II has come TO my
knowledge that the railroad company m6in-
tain that this exemption is still in force.
Desert Lands and Irrigation.
Every person who is conversant with our
climate and the character Of our soil must
know that great possibilities await q gen.
eral and comprehensive system OF irriga-
tion Of our lands. / do not think the pub
lie is interested in holding n vast empire 50
q mere cattle range for large herds Of stock.
Upon the contrary it will be a glad day for
Montana when the stock interests Of Mon
tana shall be divided among the ranchmen
in small lots. This will insure their proper
feeding and shelter. and furnish employ
ment to large numbers of person who must
also be provided with the necessaries OF life,
all Of which will be conducive Of a more
general prosperity to the state.
The proper solution Of this question IL
pregnant with great IMPORT to the people Of
the state. There WAS n time when it seemed
not improbable that the general govern
mcnt would take hold Of this proposition
and under ito supervision control and man
age the water supply TO the advantage of
all. IL IL perfectly apparent, however, at
this time that influences are co-opera-
ting which will eyentnato in destroying
whatever hope we may have had in that
direction. Eastern communities which
have yet this opposition in motion, appear
to be mindful only Of local interests and
not OF the prosperity OF the whole country.
Their protest il based upon the claim that
the reclamation of those arid lands
would subject the settler in the eastern and
middle states to undue competition, retard-
ing relief from agricultural depression.
They will NOT, but they should remember
that "this depression, arising from the
competition Of more favored conditions, il
a portion of onr inheritance and Of the in
alIenable sacrifice exacted from mankind
by the march Of that modern juggernaut,
Progress, whose wheels take no backward
turn, however loud, however real, or how
ever pitiful the Outcries of the victims
may be-"
The homes which we propose to make are
not for us alone, but for every citizen OF
the United States who has the courage TO
having this country settled and contribute
something more TO humanity and the
world. There is no citizenship like that
which is bound to the state and the nation
Dy n LlLIe III zee 10 Lue HOll. VI COufBe tuS0O
lands, when reclaimed. will come in com.
petition with that immense land grant OF
our twenty millions of acres almost wholly
undisposed of in our state and possibly de-
preciate the value, but that is only another
reason for their speedy reclamation, a. IL
in the end benefit all. II We
are to receive any substantial or
speedy benefits from our arid lands
! believe the state must frst acquire .
I &sAtn 81 AhNrn .ed AI4~ w,Iz.A.1x - nwr0A
pirate legislation to reclaim and dispose of
them. The government should select, sur
vey and convey these lands to the state
upon such conditions as would secure their
occupation and reclamation.
The west has contributed largely to build
ing up the great revenues of the nation and
has received very slight corresponding BEN
ehts. 1t II not, however. the section, but
the subject to be fostered and encouraged.
Agriculture lies at the foundation Of ouF
national prosperity. II ia already ianguisfl-
ing under the fatal pressure of unjust dis
elimination. II should be stimulated and
promoted; not, however, by circumscribin0
) its area or diminishing the amount Of its
production. but the remedy lies in opening
end extending by appropriate legislation
, our commercial relations with those cOun-
, tries which afford the most profitable mar
kets for our products.
! think our demands upon this subject
, should be formulated and transmitted TO
congress.
Indians and Indian Reservations
; The large Indian reservations within our
3 borders which we're set aside by the general
; government, embrace some of our best ag-
ricultural lands and are far in excess of the
requirements of the Indians, who are no
longer able or compelled to live by the
: chase. but in every instance are the recipi-
ents of bounty from the government. Tho
. buffalo and wild game which once apounded
upon these great reservations are practically
. extinct, and with their departure disappeared
the only reason for the maintenance Of large
/ areas of land for the occupancy Of the IL
v dians.
. therefore hope that you will memoriaIize
congress to compel a speedy selection and
acceptance of these lands by individual
. members of Indian tribes, and for an early
restoration of the remainder of the public
A domain.
! Although there has been visible unrest
among several tribes within the state hap
I PLY no serious outbreak has occurred with
Y i'll the past year. The only threatened dan
Q ger grew out of the killing of n citizen and
the in~dIscrimIiate slaughter of range cattle
l by the Cheyenne Indians IN eastern Mon
tana last spring. The circumstances in
. this instance seemed to be of such impOr-
lance as to Justify sending a special mes
senger to the scene of the difficulty with in
r structious to investigate and report con-
corning the causes and probable consequent
ceS Oh the anair. Colonel u. ID. Curtis, aid
> de camp y. &. NJ. was accordingly detailed
. for the purpose and after comforting with
: the officers of the United States army at
, Fort Keogh proceeded to take the testimony
: of reliable and trustworthy citizens re-
speeding the same. which was embodied in
= his report to tie executive office and which
will be hereafter transmitted. An authen-
: ticated copy OF this report was forwarded
. to the interior department nc Washington
with the accompanying letter which probably
J through the carelessness of some subordi-
{ nate was never acknowle iged.
/ STATE or MONTANA.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
HELENA, Montana, July 3, 1880.
To the Secretary of the Interior, Wash
ington. ID. c.: Sir:-I have the honor TO
call your attention to recent depredations
of the Cheyenne Indians in eastern Mon
tana which resulted in the death Of one cit
izen and the slaughtering of numerous cat
tie upon the ranRe. The citizens in eastern
Montana have been exposed to these depre-
dations since the removal of the Cheyennes
to Montana. Soon after the killing of Mr..
Fergusoo 1 dispatched Col. G. ID. Curtis,
aide de camp N. q. NJ. to the scene of the
trouble with instructions to investigate the
cause of the same. A copy of his report is
enclosed herewith.