East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-11-21
WANT. WATER
RIGHTS PROVEN
Commercial Club Board Asks
Federal Officials to Settle
Reservation Cases.
SEEKS FOR FULL ACTION
by Resolution Board of Managers
Ask U. S. Attorney to Get Busy
Aid of Senators and Others Will Be
Invoked

Through action of the board of
managers yesterday afternoon the
Pendleton Commercial club has taken
up the cause of the Umatilla Indians
and the irrigation of the reservation
by urging that government officials
proceed at once to secure a full and
speedy determination of the rights of
the local redmen.
At n meeting of the managing
board held at o'clock in the after
noon yesterday the following resolu-
ton was introduced and adopted
without a dissenting vote.
Tho Resolution.
Whereas. the right of the Indians
of the Umatilla reservation to the use
of water from the Umatilla river and
tributary streams in the irrigation Of
their allotments is a subject of litiga
tlon in the United States courts
Whereas, the best interests. of the
Indians OF the aforesaid reservation
require that every reasonable step be
taken by the attorneys for the gov
ernment towards fully and speedily
establishing the rights of the govern
ment's wards, to-wit. the surviving
members of the Umatilla, Walla Walla
and Cayuse tribes.
Whereas, the best interests of the
people Of the city of Pendleton and of
It's surrounding territory require that
the rights OF the Indians be establish
ed to the end that their reservation
may be developed and made more
productive.
Whereas. the Pendleton CONNER
cial association is an organization
which has for its chief purpose the
promotion Of the material welfare of
the city of Pondleton and It's tributary
territory. Therefore, be 1t
Resolved, that the managing board
OF the Pendleton Commercial associa-
tion favors the full and speedy deter
m'nstion Of the rights of the Indians
and that the officers of this organiza-
tion he objected to work in every rea-
sonablc way to such an end and be
st further resolved. that copies Of this
resolution. signed by the president
and secretary be forwarded to the
United States attorney for Oregon. to
each member Of the Oregon congress
Sional delegation, to the commissioner
of Indian affairs Mt Washington. and
to the secretary Of the interior.
Want u settlement.
The adoption of the resolution was
moved by +. B. Ald~ich and the mo-
tion was warmly supported by
number of those present. Including
President Dan =. Smythe and DR.. c.
J. Smith. In the course of the dis
cussion the subject of Pendleton's in
terest in the question was touched up
on and it was also urged by II. d
Gray that the best interests of all call
for settlement of the rights. what
ever they may be
G. |. Ladow, who is both mem
ber of the managing board and of the
city water commission, inquired as to
the possible effect of the passage of
the resolution upon the efforts of the
city to obtain a gravity water supply.
He was told that inasmuch as United
states Attorney McCourt has already
ruled that the city's right to water is
secondary to the right of the Indians
the municipality has nothing to lose
from n complete establishment of
reservation rights. but on the other
hand, will gain greatly should these
rights be fully established.
Those present at the board meet
ing yesterday were President Smythe,
Secretary Keefe, DR. c. ]. Smith, G..
I. Ladow. H. d. Gray, A. ]. McAllister
ana Il B Aldrich.