Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-07-30

WY anu ihcIedSe all tLdt goes 10
make an American citizen proud OF
his country, It is q patriotic purpose
to build up Montana and do all things
that are necessary to make this a
great, wealthy, ~populous state" GAP
plause).
Now, this idea OF national irrigation
is something which has been discuss
ed and talked about in this country
for more than a quarter OF a century:
II is no new thing; speeches were
made In congress as far back as 1874
In favor of national irrigation. They
never got 1t through congress. Why?
Because the west always made the
fataI mistake OF going there and ask
Ing for 1t as a favor to the west, as
a western local measure; and il ney.
er did gain the strength which car.
ried II through until the organization
was made which carried this PROPOSE
ton right into the very center of the
eastern centers OF population and
showed the eastern people, beyond the
~peradventure of a doubt. that. instead
OF being a local question, it was q
great, big, broad national problem.
When the idea became grated into
the minds of the eastern people, then,
instead OF having to look to the west
for the necessary strength to carry
the measures through congress, we
could get the support in the east.
Now, take II In congress, what can
30 or 40 western members do with
a proposition which is purely a west.
ern proposition. a new policy, a pol
icy involving the expenditure OF hun.
dreds of millions of dollars, unless
the sentiment of the East approves
II? The fact that they labored all
these years without accomplishing
anything is the best proof in the world
that IL is absolutely necessary, II we
expect to work out this problem to
a successful conclusion. that we
should keep alive the favorable public
sentiment in the east and do nothing
which will in any way jeopardize or
injure il.
We have succeeded in getting this
great appropriation. because $4,000
900 is a great deal of money. But
what is the situation?
We see already sections of the west
beginning to figure and find fault with
other sections, evidently with no 9TH
er purpose in view than to create the
idea that what the other people want
is not the right thing and that what
they want probably is. The INK was
hardly dry on the presidents sigma
ture to that bill before criticisms be-
gan to pour into the press with refer
ence to the Milk river proposition
and statements were made which were
absolutely without foundation. The
government has surveyed enough with
reference to this Milk river PROPOSE
ton to know that it is a feasible
proposition, and In the last annual re-
port of the secretary of the interior
he recommended the construction of
that project.
Effect Of Quarreling.
Now look at It. On the 22nd of
June an interview appeared in the
Denver Times from Prof. Johnson of
Cheyenne indicating that. in his judg-
ment, the government should build
a lot Of little propositions instead of
a few big ones.
Here Ia a sentiment starting al
ready which is nothing more nor less
than a disposition on the part of some
people to start the west to quarrel
ing owe this thing hne a lot of dogs
over a bone, instead OF standing to-
gether and saying W. want something
built that will be an honor to this
country and an object lesson to its
people and a demonstration of the
advantages OF the irrigation idea, and
when that Is done that will be an ar
gument that will stan there in the
face and eyes of all men to prove the
fallacy of the argument that has been
brought against tuis movement.
Whenever the eastern people are sat
isfied that there can be an Honest ad-
ministration OF this bill, and that
when these works r built the set
tiers who take te new land or the set.
tiers who are already on the private
lands that are irrigated. will pay back
to the government, eacn his share of
the cost of thai particular system of
irrigation works. so that it is a sim
pie. cold-blooded proposition with the
government that they shall appropri-
ate $1,000,000 $4,000, 900, 100000 900
TO a great system of irrigation works
and put the charge up on the land just
as you do with any local public i'm
provement, just as you do with the
sewer or park system or street as
sessment. Let the land pay for it,
and in three years from today the
only test will be il there is a demand
for the land. This is the business
test on this proposition. II is not the
amount of money it is going to cost.
II is not the fact whether we have
got to make a direct appropriation
Tor it.
II the people of the west will take
a jealous interest and If they are wise
in their day and generation. il they
give thought and study to this prob
lem. If they take the active interest
in it that its Importance to them de-
mands and see to it that this spirit
OF carping criticism is not allowed to
grow, but stand together united in
favor of a wise administration of this
measure which will prove its utility
and prove 1t upon a great scale. that
in three years from today w a go
to congress and instead of getting ST..
100000 a year. We a get s25 .0000,-
900 a year, provided you can lay the
plans down On the table and show
where the money Ear be wisely spent.
Why, we talk about So, 100000 a year
or we talk of $25, 900, 900 a year: why,
ray friends, the last session of con-
gress just adjourned appropriated
$500, 600 900 direct appropriations and
authorized expenditures of over 5000.
100000 more. and with this country
grown so great as that. because there
is no extravaganza in those appro-
priptions. this country has reached
a point where It is so big and SO rich