The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1915-10-22
SEEK RELIEF
FOR SETTLERS
Big Meeting Held Monday al
Wolf Pt. to Plan Campaign.
WANT LAND THROWN OPEN
Relief for Settlers on Fort Peck Res.
ervation Objective. Permanent
Organization Effected.


terested in the settlement of the Fort
Peck Reservation, meeting was held
at Wolf Point Monday afternoon to
discuss the ways and means of Sc
curing relief from the Department of
the Interior and Congress from the
present prohibitory laws governing
the settlement of the reservation.
A large crowd of representative
men from Valley and Sheridan coun-
ties assembled at the Glacier theatre,
practically every town being repre-
sented.
The meeting was called to order by
the Mayor of Wolf Point, who intro
duced Daniel Mckay of Glasgow as
the first speaker. Mr.. Mckay set fort
in detail the great injury wrought up
on the counties of Sheridan and VAL
ley and on all Northern Montana by
the pretended opening of these lands
to settlement. He cited that, after a
trial of nearly two years, the settle
ment of this land has proven an utter
failure, for the reason, not that it IS
undesirable land by any means, for it
is surrounded with the best farms in
the west and the soil is of the very
best quality, but in the appraisment
of these lands the settlers are loaded
down with false values which can
only be given to land by labor and de-
velopment.
Mr.. Mckay stated that the finan-
cial condition of the Fort Peck set
tiers should also be considered and the
manner in which they are to meet
their first payments, as several of
them are delinquent already. He called
attention to the competition there is
to the taking up of these lands, as all
other prairie lands are free to settlers
to the very shores of the Arctic ocean.
"Now, then, we must impress upon
our Senators and Congressman, Mr..
Mckay added, "that there must be an
appropriation made by Congress, in
lieu of the proceeds from this ap-
praisement, for the Indians, and this
should he done at once, as the coun-
try is now clamoring for billion dol
lar armament, and we should secure a
little appropriation for the Indians
lefore we get into the dark WorldWar
game"
A permanent organization was sug-
gested by Mr.. Mckay, which was
voted and carried.
The new organization will be known
as the Fort Peck Settlement Associa-
! ton, with c. F. Blaich president. A
vice-president was elected from all the
towns arond the reservation, these be-
ing Dan Mckay, Glasgow; John r.
Cook, Wolf Point; G. T. Kelly, Pop
lar; Sam Smith, Scobey; P. j. Muir
ply, Nashua; Nels A. Levang, Home
stead; John Daily, Medicine Lake; A.
R. Chapman, Plentywood; G. H. Coul-
ter. Culbertson; J. w. Schnitzler,
Froid; Richard Grayson, Antelope; o.
E. Lee, Oswego. J. P. Murphy, an at
torney of Wolf Point, was elected Sec
retary and A. R. Milton, of Poplar
treasurer.
All those present were very en-
thusiastic over the possibilities of the
settlement of the reservation under
proper laws and regulations. 1t was
decided by the association that meet
ings will be called at the different
towns along the reservation, the next
meeting to be held at Medicine Lake
at date to be announced later.
A set of resolutions to be submitted
to the Montana delegation to Congress
and to the Secretary of the Interior
We're drawn up and adopted
| RESOLUTIONS
WHEREAS, the opening and set
tlement of the Fort Peck Indian Res
ervation has been a pronounced fail
ure, we the citizens of the Unitee
States and members of the Fort Peel
Settlement Association, in meeting
assembled for the purpose of inducing
the Honorable Secretary of the In
terror of the United States, and tn
Congress of the United States, to 81
alter the laws and regulations as t.
the settlement of the Reservation tina
the same may be quickly settled ant
cultivated into fertile fields, and
I WHEREAS, the Governments at
tempt to settle this Reservation hal