The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1902-11-12
IRRIGATION AND
FOREST RESERVE
Latest Scheme of-P Portland Scrip
Syndicate Exposed. '.'.' ..-

The forest reserve controversy IL grow
ing interesting, to say the least. Th'
plot is thickening, becoming compli
Gated and needs strengthening out
Those scrip spcculators down Portlant
and Salem way, realizing that the,
have encountered strong opposition IL
their design to- clean up u few hundred
Thousand dollars NJ the expense Of the
National government and the genera
public, with the sacrifice Of eastern
OregOn's industrial interests M an un
considered, trifiiny side issue incident
in the program, have evidently decided
Ia resort to stratagem to win the bly,
cash prize. II il worthy Of II strong ef-
fort and they are making such.
They are men Of brains who are en-
ginccring the gigantic deal. Seeing
that eastern Oregon was practically
unanimous in its objection Ia the crea-
tion of the reserve, they have worked
up diverting propositions, with no other
purpose than to split the united opposi.
ton and set the elements fighting each
other. The first move in this direction
was 10 icon" the sheep men into the
belief that the government will give
every one oi them free range ON the
reserve, for the asking.
And now they have sprung the irri-
cation problem, called a Convention"
10 meet in Portland. Can any one
conceive Of more absurd abstract
proposition than that Portland il in.
tcrcste,i in irrigation; except, perhaps,
that the dominating influences in Port
land ever acted from other than u
selfish motive in any matter? What
that country down there needs IN drain.
aye bitches. hut, there being about
&SOO, 900 in the national treasury avail.
able for the construction of irrigation
reservoirs IN Oregon, these scri p schemcrs
,cslt y .Ion v~ntioN to meet IN Portland,
and invite delegates to come down from
the semi-arid regions oi eastern Oregon
aud get their share oi the boodle.
No one has ever uttered ar printed M
intimation ~ to what good is IL be ne
complishcd for irrigation by this meet.
ing, l, has merely been intimnted,
craitily insinua,rd that this $SOO, 600 is
to a Ecu, up" On tina, occasion, leaving
IL Ia the promptings oi ordinary human
cupidity-that has ever been divorced
tnt t,,l
tendance.
TIL" purpose Of this "irrigation con.
ycntion', IL to secure the adoption oi
resolutions iavoriny the creation oi the
Hue mountain forest reserve, Ia br
used ~ false evidence in the depart
meni at Washington that the people oi
eastern Oregon favor the reserve. This
th~S holwtoaccomplish by giving the
jay delegates IN attendance u free feed
tree rides on street cars and ferry
boats, u grand jolly and spending
money, il necessary,
No one with sense enough to come in
on, oi the wet believes that this con.
vention can accomplish amy good ior
irrigation ar that il is called for that
purpose. They know tha, the whole
schrm" is n rank, raw, transparent con.
hdence game. The appropriation will
In expended under the direction oi the
department of Geological Surveys. the
work being in charge oi experts who
will listen Ia no suggestions from any
such body.
The methods employed to work up
enthusiasm among eastern Oregon peo-
pie for this convention is worthy of
notice, Examination Of the plan dis.
closes the cloven hooi. In the first