The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-06-27

OF the world in which our mighty nation is moving and the notice it cav
10 the world Of the strength we have accumulated. Millions Of peopl
who never knew anything about us before, now know that it is we'll K
be just, fair and respectful to the citizens of a country able to marsha
such sailors and soldiers as our country sent forth to do battle with
appear in a better light as a traveller or a trader on any foreign shore than
at any time in the past. The people of Asia who measure their respect
for a foreigner so largely by the force behind him will remember for
centuries the exploits Of our splendid soldiers and sailors in the Philip
pines. We are no longer to occupy a back seat. The Americans are
a new race Of people made up Of contributions from all the warning
nations of Europe. tits impossible to make of them a provincial people.
They cannot be kept upon a reservation. Wherever there is a dollar to
be honestly earned OF an enterprise to be fairly conducted on the face of
this globe our people ar entitled to as fair a chance as any people and
they are going to have it.
Our trade will expand with the expansion of the sphere of our national
influence. This influence is destined henceforth to be a dominating
force over the Pacific ocean. That means trade. Who will supply that
trade with the great staple articles of commerce capable of production in
this latitude' Even now the manufacturers Of the east are turning their
shipments to Jour western shore for export. Our trade in steel rails and
locomotives is bringing back handsome returns from across the Pacific
every day. The planters of the lower Mississippi are sending their cotton
west instead Of east. It certainly cannot be our part to sit in the midst
Of an empire Of desert land protesting against the irresistible current Of
events. Let us organize for the reclamation of the desert and proceed in
Montana to raise the commodities that will draw hither our just proper
ton Of the Oriental trade. No class Of men can contribute 81 much as
you gentlemen coming from every part Of the state, to the upbulding of
an active sentiment in favor of the suggestions I have here made.
Your representatives will do the best they can but it rests with you
TO support them with the mighty power of organized public opinion.
Under our form of government public sentiment based upon the truth is
the force that commands victory alike in congress and on the field.
A national irrigation congress will convene in Montana this year.. See
to it that the state is well represented in that asemblage of earnest men
who will come from every arid and semiarid land state and territory.
Let it be known that Montana is alive to the vital Importance Of this
great question SO intimately connected with her future. Much can be
done on that OCCASION. to unity all the states directly concerned in favor
Of harmonious action in the National Congress alone agreed lines. The
unified forces, inspired with proper zeal will bring us a triumphant nc
cess.
/ thank you my friends for your consderate attention.
APPENDIX.
Extract from report of Captain Hiram N. Chttenden, Corps of Engi-
neers United states Army, submitted to the Chief Of Engineers of the
Army, November 9Th, 1885,.
Xv:-REsERvoIRs IN THE ARID REGION"
We now come to the specific question of reservoir construction in the
arid region west Of the one hundredth meridian, as exemplifed by the
reservoir sites examined in Wyoming and Colorado. Are there direct
and primary motives which would justify reservoir construction in this
country apart from " in addition to those arising from their effect
upon the regimen Of the lower rivers? The answer must be that in no
other part OF the United States, nor anywhere else in the world, are
such potent and conclusive reasons, of a public as we'll Is a private
nature, for the construction of a comprehensive reservoir system as in
1t is not intended in this report to enter at all into the subject of
be referred to here only to show its supreme influence in the reservoir
problem OF the Far West. Of the very great Importance of irrigation,
not only to the West but to the country at large, there would seem to be
room tor doubt. TO one who has seen the changes wrought in the
desert regions Of California, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado,
IN what used to be as forbdding regions as any still remaining in that
country, there can be no doubt that the destiny of the arid section of
America is more dependent upon the waters that flow from its mountains
than upon the minerals that lie concealed within them. Already in the
greatest mineral producing States of the West, California and Colorado,
irrigated agriculture yields a greater wealth of product than the mines.
is easy to point out many valleys in the arid regions the future de-
velopment of which, under irrigation, will sustain in each a population
greater than that at present is to be found in the States where thew re
located. There can be scarcely a doubt that the ultimate extent Of this
development is limited only by the capacity of the streams, and the vital
md controlling function Of these streams in the future welfare Of q vast
extent Of the national domain is a matter too obvious to require demon
tration.
But to utilize fully this element of national growth something q
us oe done than to take these streams as nature has created them. AL
in many sections the natural flow has been used as far as it is prac-
icahe to do so. The only resource left is to store that portion of the flow
nat runs away IN nonirrgation seasons and the surplus in times of an
Hood and sudden freshets and make these also avaiIble for use. Not
Until that is done can a stream be said to be really utilized to the fullest
xtent.
here then' is a definite reason Of the highest validity for the construc-
ion Of reservoirs.
Anotner particular and definite reason is flood protection along the
tleams Immediately below the reservoirs. The destructive power of
floods is sometimes very great, and damages of vast amount
been wrought by them. The damage from these mountain floods
1H' OF course, increase with the settlement of the country. Wel-bult,
apacaous reservoirs are an almost complete protection against such floods,
nd their usefulness in this respect will be an important consideration in