Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-06-28

worth every farthing il cost for the knowledge it gave N own people
of the world in which our mighty nation is moving and the notice it gave
TO the world Of the strength we have accumulated. Millions Of people
who never knew anything about us before, now know that il. is we'll to
be just, fair and respectful to the citizens of country able to marshal
such sailors and soldiers Is our country sent forth to do battle with
the sailors and soldiers of Spain. Hereafter a American citizen will
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. It is impossible to make of them a provincial people.
They cannot be kept upon a reservation. Wherever there is a dollar to
be honestly earned or an enterprise to be fairly conducted on the face of
this globe our people are entitled to as fair a chance al any people and
they are going to have il.
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 our 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. 1t 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 hhher our Just proper
ton of the Oriental trade. No class of men cn contribute so 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 assembage 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 30 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 along agreed lines. The
unified forces, inspired with proper zeal will bring us a triumphant sue
cess.
l thank you my friends for your considerate attention.
APPENDIX.
Extract from report of Captain Hiram NJ. Chntenden, Corps of Engi-
neers United States Army, submitted to the Chief of Engineers of the
Army, November 9th, 1897.
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 exempifed 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 or 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 well al a private
nature, for the construction of a comprehensive reservoir system rs in
the region here in question.
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