The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-06
THE IRR1GATIoN CONVENTION.
BY GOV. J. X. TooLE.

BY GOV. ]. X. TOoLE.
The Importance of the approaching
Irrigation convention in this city canno'
be overestimated. In behalf Of the ear
nest and progressive men Of this state
who are determined that the great pos
sibilities OF Montana shall be realized
before the close Of the nineteenth cen
fury, / hope that consummate judgment
and discretion will be employed in the
selection OF delegates OF broad and COM
p~rehensive views upon the subject.
A convention comprising 1914 delegates
selected from the wide-awake and intel
ligent people Of this state will give tc
progressive irrigation an impetus that
will astonish us. We know something
Of the advantages Of irrigation. Many
Of our eastern friends, however. regard
it as problematical.
It passed that stage more than three
Thousand years ago.
Our Inspiration comes from the orient.
Egypt, Spain, Italy, Mexico and the
East Indies evolved sysSeme that were
wonderful and prolific, and even
America practiced irrigation before Co.
lumbus discovered the new world.
AT this convention our achievements
will be exempliied as ~vinlicat;ng the
truth of a history that ia repeating
itself. With us it will not b profitable
at this time to tracs its antiquity, but
tradition and history alike, with
few exceptions, justify the assertion
that the highest types Of civilization and
the brightest examples Of prosperity
have been located, sustained and nur-
tured by irrigation.
We favor it in this state, first, because
of u climatic condition.; second, be-
cause when applied to our virgin soil
wonderful results are evolved; third,
because. over and above every other
consideration, the natural and logical
result will be the acquisition and reten-
lion Of small holdings Of real estate,
upon which will be found Aocks, herds
and cultivated fields. 1t is the key to
that true political economy which de-
mands that a greater equality ia tne
occupancy and ownership of the soil
shall be established and maintained. IL
will encourage and foster agriculture,
which after all Is the basis of natural
prosperity.
For twenty-five years I have been an !
actual observer Of the superiority of
irrigation to the present methods of
farming in the older states. When l
first came here practically the only as
pirants for supremacy of the soil were
the sage brush and prickly pear. I,
have seen these worthless growths dis
appear before the advancing irrigating
ditch, and in their stead, as if by magic,
spring waving and prolific folds Of
grain. 1t has been said that "bread is
the staff of life" but in this country
water IS life itself. With it under his
control, the farmer does not have to
contend against either lack or excess of
rain fall, but reaps his harvest in it's
fullness with the regularity of the sea-
son.
Our mines have been demonstrated to
be permanent and rich. They demand
no defense and ask no champion. The
province OF the approaching convention
will be to devise methods whereby our
arid lands can be made available. Per-
sonally, | am in favor Of the arid lands
being abandoned to the states. Many
have con attended that the best method to
be employed with these lands is to insist
upon the United States controlling and
managing the matter and the whole
of irrigation. Tt is sufficient to
reject this system that it necessarily i'm
plies continued ownership of the land
by the federal government, because every
person who is at all familiar with the
arid region knows that the control of
the water is tantamount to the owner
Ship OF the soil, unless the subject is
under state control. But if it were a
question OF interest only they
would still reject it. .... /
The just men of this state in my
opinion would not yield one iota of their
sovereignty for the prospect of increas- !,
lng population, when to do 30 would
lend to put their increasing wealth. and
growing power into the hands of the +.
GENERAL government. Our natural in
'tlncts and national teachings reject at
any system which builds up and
'entrallzes power at the national CAPT :
The closer We keep the manage ,
pent and control of this question to the !
who are directly interested in it, !
he better will be the results. In the |
formation OF u state constitution the ]
condition which now co~nfronts us was '
oreseen. The legislature is invested I
With full power to provide against ex-
'essiye and extortionate charges by in {
lividuala, companies or corporations en-
.aged in the sale, rental OF distribution F.,
II water and to prevent the unjust dis '
in the disposition OF the :
to the public. !
Sec. l5 OF article 3 OF the constitution
that "the use Of all water now +
lppropriated,o r that may hereafter be ap- ]
1ropriated for sale, rental, distribution
or ether beneficial use, and the right of i
8ay over the lands of others for all
drains, fumes, canals and aque- !
iucts necessarily used in connection