The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1919-09-19

whole bunch on the stage GOWN yO0.
der. He could have told them. he
could have called on their justice,
their memory
MacLean was speaking.
'Mr. Marshall has likened the river
project to the old man of the sea. He
has it on his back. while it IL busily
kicking him in the shins!
mfr. Marshall has given you Mr..
Faraday's message. He has asked
you to dismiss your damage suits. I
ask you to do more than that. Put
your hands in your pockets! Come
out and help us. You don't want the
government. / am told that il tho
sentiment Of the valley. When you
called to them. they wouldn't help
you; they wouldn't give you an ade-
quate price. Congress will soon be
adjourning. What is Mr.. Faraday to
say to Washington? Is he going to
close that break? That depends on
you. Withdraw your suits. Do more.
Stop fighting against US. Fight with
us"
The audience stirred ominously,
angrily. Before MacLean was done. q
voice screamed from the balcony.
''You can't quit. That's a threat.
You're in too deep. You can't fool %.
You've got to save yourself. You've
got to 90 on. Tell Faraday to tell that
to Washington"
The uproar was released. Black,
from the Wistaria, jumped on hio
chair. II am speaking for the valley.
We can't help. You know it. We're
stripped. We're ruined. You think to
threaten us with the governmental
we wait for the government to decide,
the valley is g0ne-and the railroads
money with it. tell you, your blum
won't 60. We want justice. We are
going to have JUSTICE"
"Justice!' came from the surgins
ranchers.
"Fair play" yelled Black. "You can't
trick us. We were not born yesterday.
We have rights. The company brought
us here. What did we give our money
for? Desert land? What good is this
land without water? We bought wa
ter. Give us back the money we've
put in-that's what we're asking for.
We won't be scared out Of our rights"
There was growing accompani.
ment from the back rows, herding to-
gether.
"Order." cried Babcock. humping
his gavel. "LetaMr. Black have the
floor"
Black had not stopped. Wildly his
hands cut the air. His speech. though
high-pitched. had prepared sound;
it worked toward climax. He gave
individual instances OF ruin. "Grace.
Willard Grace, his crop gone. his place
cut in two. HOLSTER and Wilson of
the Palo Verde. the ranch scream
Ing horror. Scores Of others" He
would not mention his own case: and
then he itemized his misfOrtunes. Par.
IRISH. his place secured beyond all fu.
| ture usefulness. What had they come
into the valley for7 Who had urged
them? There were pledges Of the D
H.. water pledges. That was all those
ruined men were pleading. the redemp.
ton of those pledges. Individual ruin.
what did 1t mean? A curtailing of lux.
uries, OF personal indulgence. II tell
You. it means food. bread. potatoes:
milk for the babies: or starvation"
| Black had touched the deep note.
! This was the answer. This was what
they wanted to say.
"You ask us to help you. us, we who
are taxed already to our breaking
point. You say your company won't
go any further. What does that help
mean to YOU? Poverty? A few thou
sands, million to the o. F.. cor.
poratiOn. what does loss mean to
then? Poverty? l tell you, no. A
smaller dividend. maybe. to whoml
Yes. to whom? To the men who live
In Fifth avenue, whose wives are
dragged about In limousines. With.
draw their suits? Help Faraday. and
ruin men like Parrish? Men Of the
valley. what is your answer to Fara.
dayT
The crowd was on Its feet, swayina
and pushing. The air was fetid With
breaths. Wilson's crowd had forgotteu
its lorgnettes. mo-" yelled the ranch.
ers. I'VE say, no"
boy made his way from the wings,
a yellow envelope In his hand.
BabcOck waved him on to Marshall.
The audience was crying itself hoarse
BabcOck lost control Of the meeting
In that minute of turning. HOLSTER,
OF the Pal0 Verde. was striving to b.
heard; Babcock's hammer sounded in
vain. But Marshall's eye had caught
a spark from the yellow sheet. He
sprang forward. throwing the dispatch
toward MacLean. His excitement
caught the eye Of the crowd. ~The
river!" There was a Sudden hush.
"rhe rivers out agaln!" A grooa
swept through the house. there was q
break toward the doors.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
You 0u0hta Know That, Uncle.
"F1ne dog you have there, nv littla