The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-01-31

Pursuant to notice sent out by c. /,
A. Smith, president of the Harlem In
dustrial association, calling a mass
meeting Of the settlers Of, the Valley,
a large number Of the pioneers as
se1nbled at Harlem last Saturday.
About fifteen people were present
from Chinook. An able and Well re-
ceived speech was made by Attorney
w. B. Sands, though A. "A. Reser Of
the Chinook delegation made wrathy
talk, asking that the government go
out and buy water for the Indians.
1t was the sense of the meeting
| that a delegation Of from 10 to 20 be
sent to- Washington with sufficient
ration Of pemican for each to keep
them on the trail Of the interior
department and congress all summer
to the end that something be done to
relieve the condition Of the early set
tier of the valley who lived on graham
bread, sage tea and cectus jelly, all
cooked by buffalo c...rra-blazing the
trail that we might still live-only to
have the work all undone In the in
terest OF Poor Lo," and the willy poll
itician.
| The following resolution was ,ad-
dressed to President Of the United IT
rigation association:
Dear Sir:-At a meeting OF the
farmers and businessman of the Milk
River valley, held in this city, today,
the following resolutions were passed
by unanimous vote:
Resolved: That we, the farmers
and business men Of the Milk River
valley, assembled in Harlem, at a
mass meeting, request the Hon. l..
Newman, president Of the United Milk
River Irrigation association that he
call meeting of the association in
the immediate future for the purpose
of sending delegates to Washington. d
c. and ask the Congress Of the I'm
tied States there assembled to set
right the wrong that has been done
the farmers of the Milk River valley
Then, to still further complicate
matters, the following letter, address,
| ed to Secretary Geo. w. Vennum of
the irrigation association was receiv-
ed Sunday:
| Washington, Jan. Ex-senator Car
ter's bill appropriating $25,00o to en-
able the Indians on the Fort Belknap
reservation to raise sugar beets and
other crops came before the senate to-
Senator Gallinger
Gallinger did not think the govern
ment would be reimbursed by the In
dians, whom he termed destitute"
Carter said the proposition was very
meritorious and approved by the In
terror department and that the IN
dians would repay.
Senator Smoot said the Indians in
Utah had been made progressive
farmers through thia policy and had
turned back the money advanced by
the government on this account, and
that the Indians would repay the
| money IN tHlS case.
Gallinger prsisted in his DIGESTION
and the bill Went over.
There has been received freAA you
an undated copy of resolutions pass
ed on December 1o,1so7, by the Unit
ed Milk River Irrigation association,
urging that work not only be prose-
cuted upon the St. Mary's diversion
canal, but that the distributing systens
of the Milk River project be speedily
constructed. <
| The premises OF this resolution are,
I think, somayhat in error; but with
out discussing these note that the
point to be considered is whether it
is practicable Or feasible for the Unit
ed States under the terms of the re-
| clamation act to begin to construct ad
ditional diverting canals in the Milk
river valley before an adequate supply
of water has been provided for them,
or before final judicial conclusion has
been rached as to the ownership of
| the ordinary flow and of the flood
flow Of Milk river
The matter has been presented to
me in many forms and the conelus
ions has been reached that, under
present uncertainties as to the ability
to secure water, it would be unwise
for further complications to be intra-
| duced by the government in the build
ing Of additional canals to distribute
water when those already In exist
ence do not receive a full supply.
/ It is true that there are some years