Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-10-12
Theo. Roosevelt is the First Presl.
dent Who Ever Resided West Of
the Missouri River.
is A MAN WHO DOES THINGS
welcome, Again, Because You Wrung
National irrigation From an Un.
willing Congress"

ernor of New York he once remarked:
Il am Of the sixth generation born on
Manhattan island. but BELONG
west of the Missouri river"
This is a key to the depth and
breadth of the presidents knowledge
concerning all things pertaining TO
the United States. He is the first
president who ever resided west of
the Missouri river. he is the first
who ever perceived the incalculable
Importance Of the arid west, and he
Is chiefly responsible Tor the nation.
al irrigation act which is TO transform
deserts into gardens. BY a chain OF
endless revenues derived from the
sale of public lands in the arid states,
each arid state is in turn to be re.
claimed and populated by independ.
ent, high-minded. self-supporting citi.
zens.
Roosevelt established himself in
1901. on ranch at the headwaters of
the Little Missouri river in South Da.
kota. He was then only 26 years of
age. After residence there of about
two years he returned TO New York,
not only restored in body. but dif.
ferent man mentally aud physically.
He had entered into the spirit of the
west so completely that he was actu.
ally westemized. There the noun.
tains communicated To him the secret
of their strength and he learned OF
the benedictions of the unclouded sun
He made ranch, herded cattle. min
gled with cowboys and hunted the big
game of the plains. There, too, he
learned the marvels Of the arid soil
when joined 10 the waters OF the
mountain streams.
Vast Areas TO be Reclaimed.
IL was such experiences as these
that enabled him 10 link his name for
ever with the great irrigation move
ment. He thus was induced to put
the presidential shoulder against the
barred doors OF arid America and do
one of the biggest things since the
signing of the Declaration OF indie
pendence. Perhaps few of us have
more than a vague consciousness OF
the mighty issues involved in this act.
1t adds at once 125.000.000 acres Of
fertile soil TO our agricultural and h0r-
ticultural area and opens up one OF
the most beautiful and promising Wis
tas ever perceived by the husband
J men OF America, or elsewhere. IL
: might be said by cavilers that the rec
amation OF these deserts was ineyi-
!, table, sometime. But &c was by no
means inevitable that they should be
reclaimed by means of public works.
and that the ownership OF land and
water would be indissolubly united.
The greatest thing President Roose'
welt has done here was to write this
flaming sentence: "PRivATE OWN
, ERSHiP OF WATER, APART
FROM LAND, cANkuT PREVAIL
WITHOUT CAUSING ENDURING
WRoNG." That was another procla.
nation Of emancipation. Into the
great struggle between private greed
|
ogical movement, the mighty words OF
the first irrigation president-and the
! battle was won.
Praise for the President.
William T.. Smythe. the author oi
Conquest of Arid America" a pion
Ger in the irrigation movement, and
now "A Democratic pOIlIician Of San
Diego, California. writing of President
kooseyeits j visit To the west awhile
ago, exclaimed:
WELCOME, THEODORE RoosE
WELT! WELCOME BECAUSE you
ARE THE PREsIDENT. WELCOME
AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU WRUNG MA
TioNAl IRRIGATION FROM AN UN
WILLING coNGREsSl AND THRICE
WELCOME, BECAUSE WITH a
STROKE OF YOUR PEN you SLEW
THE DRAGON OF WATER MohoP
OlYi MUCH AS THE MEN or
TODAY APPRECIATE TIE THING
YOU DID WHEN OPPORTUNITY
/, OPENED THE DOOR, 1T is ONLY
THE MEN WHO ARE TO LIVE AS
THE LONG GENERATIONS SHALL
UNFOLD, WHO MAY KNOW THE
FULL SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT
GREAT DEED"
II is universally recogn lied, irrespec
tive Of politics. that the passage oI
the national irrigation aci by congress
I June. 1902, could never have been ac
complished II IL had not been for the
fact that Mr.. Roosevelt 80 strongly
/. recommended irrigation legislation In
his message to congress and put bis
personal shoulder TO the wheel ObelI
the friends Of the bill swing the forces
into line in its favor.
When his official signature was duly
affixed to the measure, making 1t the
: law OF the land. the press from the
Atlantic to the Pacific. from The lakes
TO the gulf, and irrespective OF relig
ion or politics. sent up one hearty ac
claim OF well done," 1t was a sin
cere hearttribute TO the man. TO his
honesty. patriotism, craftsmanship
Americanism. Maine wed with Cali
fornia. and the Mississippi valley said
"Amen," The eulogies, information
Civilizations. predictions and prophe
cies were edifying and inspiring. They
emphasized the Monroe doctrine Of
, America for Americans Numerous
we're the editorial expressions OF ap
proval at the time from the press o.
, all parties, the following being a fail
sample:
, President Roosevelt . Triumph.
As the first distinctively administra
tior rnaactira In mass both hauaaa m