The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-03

their earnings. To accomplish these
primtry objects they conducted a cam
paign in favor of national aid for the
building of storage reservoirs and d.
version canals, and for the reclama-
ton of arid lands generally.
The large majority of western peo-
pie were in favor Of national aid to
reclaim desert land. They felt that
development would be slow without
such assistance. Then, too, in many
of the states and territories the gov
eminent owned a large percentage of
the vacant lands and it seemed right
and proper that congress should rem
der a portion of this vast domain hab.
table by providing the necessary wa
ter supply. The passage of a national
irrigation act conferred a boon on
Montana in particular. The state is
as yet only sparsely settled. There
are large supplies of water unutilized
and millions of acres Of arabic and
irrigable lands on which water might
be applied. The judicious expendi-
ture in this state Of several million
dollars during the next ten years
will vastly increase the area capable
of being irrigated and add greatly to
the revenue.
Two-FoId Development Necessary.
A united effort is now being made
by the people of Montana to develop
agriculture and the many industries
which cluster around it. The chief
factor in this development is the ex-
tension of irrigation. In the work of
| storing water, building canals, re-
| claiming land and improving existing
| conditions, shall we remain inactive
and await the assistance of the gov
eminent? Such a coures woul not
only greatly retard all progress along
irrigation lines, but would soon make
of Montana a back number among
the states OF arid America.
The most that can be hoped for
from the reclamation fund during the
next ten years is the completion OF
one or two large enterprises. These
will benefit one or two sections OF the
state. What of the scores OF sections
that will receive no benefit? There
can be but one answer. The large
majority of our irrigators must con.
tinue to progress without hope OF
national aid. To stop work on the
reservoir dam, the canal excavation,
or the breaking up of new land until
assisted by the government would
tend to pauperize whole commune
ties. To illustrate what the writer
means by two-fold development: A 10
connective hauls a train with compare
tive ease across the easy grades OF
the prairie states, but or the steer
grades of the mountain division II
requires a helper" The reclamation
fund is our helper in overcoming
irrigation difficulties.
More Information Needed.
Montana is one of the youngest
of the states of the union. In the
past a large part of the total revenue
was required to maintain the judi
ciary and the various state institu
lions. No funds seemed to be avail
able to promote agricultural develop
ment by mean Of irrigation The
time has now come when more def
mite information is needed concern
ing the extent of our irrigable lands
the suficiency of the water supply anC
the use that is being made of appro
priated waters. In the measurement
of streams and the location of reser
yoir sites much valuable work has
been done by the geological survey
OF late years the department of ag
riculture has made careful investiga
lions of the utilized waters with the
view of increasing the products from
irrigated lands, %lessening the waste Of
water and improving both the physi
cal and legal conditions of western
irrigation. The beneficial efforts or
the part of the government shoulc
be supplemented by similar efforts OF
the part of the state. The state should
determine by competent parties, the
flow of the natural streams and tht
quantities of water that are economi
cally used; the feasibility of cana
projects and the location, capacity
and cost of storage reservoirs.
Much Needed Reforms.
The writer is of the opinion that IL
the older irrigated sections we have