The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1912-03-11
ST. IGNATIUS ENTERTAlNS THE
COMMERCIAL CLUBS OF
WESTERN MONTANA.
''CET:TOCETHER" SPIRIT
Results Of Assembly Are Altogether
Gratifying and Point Toward Better
Feeling on Reserve--Duncan McDon-
AIDS Address a Fcature-Spendid
Entertainment.

st. Ignatius, March 10.--tSpecial.)- -
Today the last of the 60 delegates who
attended the splendid get-together
meeting held under the auspices Of tae
st. Ignatius Chamber of Commerce left
town and returned to their homes. 1t
was a great meeting: one of the best
and most enthusiastic ever held on
the reservation, and it served admir-
ably to bring together the people of
the reserve for discussion Of the
grave problems which confront them.
Representatives from the towns OF
Poison. Roman, Dixon, Arlee, Ravalli.
Glacier View and from the Flathead
Farmers Mutual association attended
the meeting and took part in the in
formal discussion of the problems
confronting the citizens of the Flat
head. A common decision was finally
reached and today the delegates are
returning to their homes to spread the
good word and to carry on the work
so well begun by the meeting yester-
day
Three big subjects were handled by
the delegates during the meeting. The
first was the matter of assignabe titles
to lands The act opening the Flat
head reservation and the act estab-
fishing the reclamation districts there,
make 1t necessary for the settler 10
comply with all of the rules of entry,
To improve his land, build home, live
in 1t. cultivate and irrigate the land
and pay for II before he is given any
semblance of title. Under the original
homestead law the settler is given a
certificate showing that he has per-
formed certain of his duties. which he
can assign or on which he can borrow
money. This law does not apply to the
settlers on the Flathead. Many OF
these men have already spent their
whole capital in developing their farms
and have turned their gains back into
the land. AS a result many of them
are I'm dire financial circumstances.
Their titles are not clear and they
cannot borrow money on them.
Last night the meeting adopted the
petition which has been circulated so
generally through western Montana
and has received the support of prac-
tically every commercial organization
in the section, and ordered II sent to
Montana's congressional delegation.
The matter of roads was a problem
just as knotty. II seems that no pro-
vision was made, in the act opening
the reservation, for roads. The Indians
then, and the whites, as well, can be
forced to open roads through their
property only by lengthy process of
condemnation. After a long discussion
1t was finally resolved that com
mittec of three be appointed to con
slider ways and means of securing
right of way and to confer with the
commissioners of Missoula, Sanders
and Flathead counties regarding the
building Of satisfactory highways.
AS to the third problem. that of the
sale and leasing OF lands of aged, in
firm and incompetent Indians at the
judgment OF the commissioner with
out the allottee's written consent, 1t
was decided to make an attempt tn
secure the passage Of sucn legislation
through congress.
These were the three principal prob
lens confronting thu meeting. Each
was thoroughly thrcshed out until n
unanimity Of opinion was arrived at.
AS a result. all of the delegates are
now of one mind regarding each OF
these matters and the work of solving
them should be much easier
But that was not the important re-
Continued on Page Three)