The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-01-31
1RRIGAT|ON|STS ACTIVE
Rousing Meeting Held Last Saturday
at Harlem--Call for Meeting at Chin
ook to be Issued Soon--A Discourag-
ing Letter From Secretary Garfield
President Newman Talks of Same.

when all of the canals would receive
ample water for brief period of
days or weeks and that this single
watering would be of great value to
the land. There are, however, 9th
er years when only the canals having
the first priority could receive water
and the persons living under the 9TH
er canals must go without
In conversation with number OF
the citizens of the Milk River valley
during my visit there in July, 1907,
this subject was fully discussed and
opinion was freely expressed that
even an occasional flood watering
through the government canals would
be highly appreciated and valued. At
the same time it was shown that the
reclamation fund has been SO largely
invested in Montana in the Huntley
project, the Lower Yellowstone pro
ject, the Sun River project, and 9th
ers, that the amount then dehited to
the state was far in excess of the a.
mount designated by the reclamation
act. It was also shown that the large
investments already made in these
projects could not be made remunera-
tive without continuing the work to "a
higher degree Of completion, and
that for every dollar invested in sub
sidary works to those already con-
structed large results will be received,
whereas the same amount of money in
vested In new project would not
bring the latter to point where it
would be useful.
All OF these matters, especially
that Of the uncertainty as to titles to
water in the Milk River valley, have
caused me to proceed with caution am
to consider fully the right watch must
tbe determined by the courts of Mont
ana and by q treatry with Great Bri-
tain. I see no reason to change this
conclusion and hope that it will be
possible at an early date TO settle
these legal and diplomatic questions
so that investments in the Milk Riy-
er valley can proceed with greater
assurance Of permanent success.
Very truly yours,
JAMES RUDOLF GARFIELD.
y, Secretary
Mayor l.. Newman, president of the
association, on his return today from
Harlem, where he conferred with
Secretary Vennum and others of the
association, on the question covering
the secretary's.@ letter, also the reqast
Of the meeting at Harlem. said:
THE letter from Secretary Garfield
does not seem encouraging, but the.
many settlers who have for years de-
pended on the government water,
have so become accustomed to dfsga-
pointments, that this letter will not
cause any particular shock, neither
will the letter be means of causing
those men who have for years stak-
ed their all on the governments
promise to furnish the water necess-
ary for the Development Of the Milk
River valley lay down and give up.
the fight.
On the other hand, l feel that
the time was never more propitfous
than at presnt to force matters to a
successful issue. Private CORES
pondence with friends in Washinsten.
which conditions prevent me frena
making public at this time, is OF a
very hopeful character, and all fndisa-
tions from that source point to the
prospects of actual work on the are
Jeet in the Milk River valley begin
ming within the next three or four
months. For that reason I believe
that moderation of temper should nre-
vail at the coming meeting of the
association which will be held in Chi
nook within a short time.
The date of this meeting will be an
nounced within three or four DAYS,
and it will without question be the
most interesting and best attended
OF any Yet held by the association.
The settlers were never aroused as
much as they are at this time and er-
cry town and hamlet in the entire
Milk River valley will be representa-,
1T DOES THE BUSINESS.
MIR ~ n chamharlo;n oe S~t;st