The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-01-16
H WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10. 1892.
THE IRRIGATION CONVENTION.

The reader of Fridays proceedings OF
the irrigation convention at Helena will
not be puzzled to divine what several
members of the convention are driving
at. The body was called together by
Governor Toole to act upon a resolution
brought up from the recent Salt Lake
irrigation convention. recommending
that the arid or irrigable lands in the
west be coded by the general government
to the states and territories in which
such lands are situated, the states and
territories to reclaim them by such a
system of IRRIGATION as each may devise.
These may not be the words of the reso-
luton. but as we understand it, they
embody it's essence. To put it more
briefly the point involved was: shall the
state or the general government reclaim
the arid lands.
At the first days session it was ap-
parent there were two a~ntagonistic ele-
ments in the convention; one in favor OF
and one opposed to state control Of ard
lands. The Hon. w. \. Clark and Mr.
Irwin of Butte sounded the key note for
tho state controllers, while Mr.. Burton
from Chotcau and Mr.. Strevell from
Miles City took the negative of the prop
nsition. Mr.. Strevell introduced a reso-
luton Friday which embodies the senti-
ment of the governmentals OF the ques-
ton. but at this writing its fate is not
known. 1t makes but little difference
what disposition is made of it. 1t is "A
thinly disguised appeal to congress for
aid TO corporations and companies who
have already appropriated the surplus
waters of the streams of the west for ir-
rigation purposes. The resolution does
not touch the real issue in controversy.
1t simply asks the general government
that the proceeds from the sale of the
IoW lands in the several states and ter
ritories be applied to the supplying OF
water for their development for agricul-
tural purposes. AS about all the low
lands in the west are taken up and COW
cred by water taken from the streams
which run through such low lands it is
easy to sec what Mr.. Strevell's resolution
means.
Now the low lands can take care If
themselves: in fact they are already
taken care Of by the companies and cor
porations which control the waters cover
ing them. 1t is the great plateaus and
wide spreading bench lands that need
looking after. . They are the hope of the
country. There are thousands of acres
of these where there are tens of the low
or valley lands. 1t was to consider what
could be done for them that the conven
ton was called together. They are an
empire In area, capable of producing
breadstuifs 10 feed all Europe. Great
rive $. carrying a wealth of waters to the
sea. could be directed over every portion
of the present broad wastes of land
and make them blossom as the rose.
The question is: Shall the states
or the general government prose
cute the great enterprise of
retaining Ties. desert lands. That
is the question. And if the requests of
til" convention be narrowed down to "A
whining appeal to congress to cnact a
law providing for the turning over Of the
proceeds Of the sales of the valley lands
10 IA few companies and corporations
owning the water covering them. it would
," better If the convention should not
met. It would BECOME a eats paw
to pull cheaLnuts out Of the fire for the
benefit Of the few who are already bene-
by the possession Of the surplus
water in the streams of the west.