The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-07-15
TRUE FRIEND OF The WEST
WHAT DEMOCRATIC SENATOR
SAYS OF, PRESIDENT.
irrigation Might Have Failed But for
His Efforts-Executive Knows
Needs Of Country.

Butte Inter Mountain: II tell you
it is a splendid thing for the country
to have a man like Theodore Roose-
welt in the white house, and if the
republicans are to again elect the
president, it is my sincere hope that
he will be the man."
Thus spoke United States Senator
Paris Gibson to an Inter Mountain re-
porter, at his hotel today.
Hale and hearty may be a stereo-
typed expression, but taken in it's
literal meaning, it is most fitting to
express the actual appearance of the
sturdy Yankee and kindly disposition
ed gentleman from northern Montana,
who so ably represents this state, in
part, in the United States senate.
Many of the senator's West Side
friends called upon him and while he
remained in the lobby of the hotel,
he was highly complimented and con-
graduated upon his instantaneous
success as a national legislator.
The senator made nc attempt to dis
guise his pride and pleasure when
the irrigation measure was mentioned.
Mr.. Gibson takes a. optimistic view
of the dormant agricultural
and possibilities of his section of the
state and while, largely owing to his
efforts, it has been proven that good
crops can be grown on some of the
prairie lands without irrigation, he
has ever been a consistent advocate
of government aid in storing the water
of the great streams flowing from the
snow-clad mountains.
Speaking of the irrigation measure
which has just become a law, the sen
ator said that it was only a beginning,
but that there was absolutely no ques-
ton that the results would be so i'm
mediately beneficial that there would
be no backward step and that from
now on the efforts of congress would
be to enlarge and improve upon the
present law. g- M
Again indulging in prophesy, the
senator said: "The time will come
when what is now known as common
grazing land and which under our
present land laws is classified as
desert, but which in reality is as good
land as was ever turned over by a
plow. will be thickly dotted with hap
Ply homes and supporting a popula-
tion of many thousands of free and
enlightened Americans"
President Aided Passage Materially
Being questioned as to the help re-
ceived from eastern senators in the
passage of the bill, the senator grew
more eloquent than usual and said:
"The western senators worked faith
fully and ably together, and we of
course received help from the east
ern states, but l doubt if the bill
would have passed at all except for
the president.
Il had the pleasure of several talks
with the president upon affairs ap-
pertaining to the west in general, and
the irrigation measure in particular,
and | found that ne fully understood
the conditions existing out here, and
what is ct more value to us, he fear
lessly championed u cause. The bill
was at cue time SO amended that j;
was worthless and we we're unable to
change it, but Mr.. Roosevelt, who
had all the time kept in touch, prompt
ly sent for several republican sena-
tors and by his vigor and knowledge
OF the subject, rounded them up to
assist in some amendments and warn
ed that he would kill it with his veto
if they did not do so.
He is the first president the coun-
try has ever had who really under
stood the actual conditions and wants
OF the people in each of the states,
n then he has the moral, physical
and, / might say, the political cour-
age. to do just what he believes to be
right"