The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-09-23
A GHOST THAT WILL
NOT DOWN..

The question of the storage of water
for necessary irrigation in the national
parks, is a veritable Banquo's ghost
that will not down. The shade casts a
chill over Board of Trade banquets,
and Rotary lunches and leaving
such festive functions, sweeps in dust
storms over the arid wastes of the
Milk River and Yellowstone valleys,
crying out against the simple and mis-
placed sentiment, that is keeping so
|, much of the west a desert, and pre-
venting so many thousands of acres
of the choicest land from producing
food for mankind. The ghost will
haunt the Interior department, until
some reasonable policy is found for
conserving the vast amount of prec-
ious water that is worse than wasted
yearly, by mistaken bureau policies.
The question arises, as full of life
as eve since Governor Dixon's pro-
posal at the Chinook International
Boundary commission meeting, that
the dispute regarding water with Can
ada, could be adjusted by the building
of a storage reservoir for floods in
Glacier park. The suggestion meets
the approval of all concerned and is
the most weighty pronouncement on
the subject that has yet been mades
and will undoubtedly have the back
ing of the Canadian government.
Engineers of both countries are
agreed in saying that the normal flow
of the Milk river and the St. Mary's
river are insufficient to irrigate the
Milk River project and the Lethbridge
project in Canada. The latter project
requires 1000 cubic feet and the Amer
lean project 800 cubic feet.
The condition confronting both
countries now, is complicated by the
working of a treaty, which fails to
provide means of measuring the water
in a way which would be fair to both
countries, in the sense that if Canada
is given all that is asked for or per-
haps actually required, projects on
this side of the line will suffer. The
conclusion Of those who have studied
the subject is, that neither country will
be satisfied with any division that can
be made of the present supply of
water.
This being the case, realizing as
evryone does that vast amounts of
water are wasted in floods each year,
the most natural solution of the prob
lem is to secure a sufficient supply to
answer the needs of both countries by
catching and storing the flood waters.
The expert advice which was availa-
BILE to the Governor and to the Inter-
national commission, is to the effect
that this plan is feasible, by the con-
struction of a reservoir in Glacier
park, in one of the many reservoir
sites provided by nature.
Similar plans have been proposed
in other parts of the west and have
been successfully opposed by the Ma
tional Parks board, which claims tina
raising the level of the Yellowston,
lake, for instance, commentaries ont
Of the beauties of nature that shoul'
be left unchanged by the hand o
man. This sentiment, to preserve ma
ture in all her virgin purity for tn
use and enjoyment Of sightseers, ha
prevented building of dams in tn
parks up to this time.
Many wsighty arguments have bee
unavailing to cause the secretary o
the Interior to change this rule; tn
department at Washington seems t
believe in almost every other kind Q
improvement and modernization of tn
parks, but the dead line is drawn o
dams, as the n thing which will dc
stroy nature, with its scenery, animal
and other things of sentimental valu'
While auto horns may scream. fin
roads and hotels be built, electri
lights displayed, and all kinds of toul
list traffic concentrated and encoul
aged, dams shall not be built, althoug
the only noticeable way in which the
would change nature would be to rails
the water level in the lakes. This is or
Of those arbitrary positions taken b
a bureau, that can only be remedie
by an act of Congress; to secure whic
seems to be the next logical step
the agitation.
When considering the benefits to II
human race, pro and con, as betwee
virgin scenery comprising deserts, ar
profitable fertile farms, it seems
us that the decision must be in fave
of irrigating the deserts, especial
when it may be done with little or l
damage to the scenery.
Governor Dixon's admirable al
beneficient plan should have the a
prevail Of congress-, and be acted up
as soon as possible. Its fulfillme
will take at least n burden
doubt from the shoulders of the pre-
eut and prospective settlers of t
Milk River valley.
O. lar CnnIn h