The Philipsburg mail., 1899-12-01
WATER FOR MONTANA
Happy Homes Could be Built in the
Waste and Arid Places
BY FEDERAL AID TO IRRIGATION
Senators Carter of Montana and Warren
of Wyoming Expected to Lead the
Fight for National Irrigation
in the Future Sessions.

The following paper is of great inter-
est to all who are or who desire to be
concerned in the future development and
prosperity Of Montana in particular and
the states Of the west in general. 1t is
the production of Mr.. George E. Mitch
ell, Secretary Of the National Irrigation
Association:
The state of Montana in common
with other western states, must depend
largely upon irrigation for her pros
perity, and if full development is to be
reached all the waters Of her various
rivers must be utilized food waters as
we'll as the regular flow during the ir-
rigation period. How are these flood
waters to be conserved? Obviously by
storage reservoirs. Who will build the
storage reservoirs? Private capital
doubtless to some extent, but never to
the full capacity of the flow. In this
connection the work of Thomas H. Car
ter in the United States senate in sup
port of national aid to irrigation, COM
mends itself generally to the people of
his state and the west Tom Carter has
advocated in season and out that it is
the duty of the national government to
build system Of storage reservoirs for
all the arid west. No man ever made a
more determined and brilliant fight
than he in the last senate fo1 federal
storage
If it is admitted that Montana needs
government help ir building reservoirs,
and therefore representative in con-
gress alive to the irrigation problem, it
must be conceded that Senator Carters
already valuable experience at Washing
ton and acquaintanceship with public
men, together with his technical knowl-
edge Of the subject of irrigation, con-
stitute him one Of the foremost cham
pions of this system of irrigation upon
which Montana must depend for her
future development. If Senator Carter
could aid in accomplishing federal stor-
age Of waters for Montana, he would
do more to develop and enrich his state
than anything which has ever been ac-
complished yet, not excluding her ad
mission to statehood. Garter has gained
the condolences of his colleagues in con-
gress; he is known as a champion OF
irrigation; and that majority of the
senate which voted last session in favor
of the national irrigation amendment
will expect him and Senator Warren of
Wyoming to lead the fight in future
sessions until the west gets it's just and
fair share of appropriation for this
much needed and desirable internal i'm
provement.
Senators Carter and Warren, during
the closing days of last Congress, held
the river and harbor bill which carried
an item for the commencement of this
work, in the hollows of their hands,
while the senate and the house looked
on in feverish anxiety 20 see if the en-
tire bill would be defeated. 1t could
have been defeated with it's $50, ,GOO 900
appropriation in these last hours Of the
limited short session Of congress, and
fact that the holding up of this bill
would have killed the naval appropria-
tion bill and other important and neces-
sary measures, which would have re-
quired the calling of an extra session
J land this neither Carter nor Warren
would do), realizing that such action
would deeply injure the cause of ilriga'
tion i'll the east.
Carter is heart and soul for federal
irrigation and development for the
whole western section, and no more di
plomatic nor abe champion of this
western or national problem holds 4
seat among the councils # any party.
Let it be understood and distinctly
too, rang out his words before the Sen
ate last winter when the appropriation
for storage reservoirs was being consid
cred, that this is the entering wedge
Z that this this is the beginning OF new
Z policy. policy that will result in stay
ing the tide of destruction in the lowe
Mississippi valley during the period o
floods and will incidentally cause thou
sands upon thousands of fertile field
and happy homes to be built in place
that are now waste along the slopes o
4 the Rocky Mountains.
Call at Campbell's next Saturday an
examine their elegant line of holida
goods and get handsome souvenir wit
every purchase.