Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-16

Because of the attitude taken IN
1915 by settlers on the Sun River lrrl-
cation project, adverse to the watering
Of Land in that district, there will not
be Forthcoming next year through the
United States Reclamation service
funds to meet the request OF the Great
Falls Commercial club for new stor-
age works and enlargement of the MAN.
canal. The budget for the year lo-o
nrobabIy will cover only contract worn
now authorized, operation of he con-
structed canal system, and continuation
of the drainage system on the Green
field division.
In resolutions addressed to the re-
clamation service last fall, the Com
mercial club asked for funds that
would make possible material enlarge
ment Of the irrigated area within the
project. No exact estimate OF funds
needed was made in the resolutions,
but it has been considered that SI;UoUI,-
600 a year for three years would be
required to place q large proportion
Of the projects irrigable land under
the ditch. Replying to the resolutions
in a letter that was considered by the
clubs board of directors Wednesday,
Director A. P. Davis Of the reclama-
tion service said recommendations al
ready made to the bureau OF the budget
do not embrace construction as con-
templated in the request for additional
funds.
Postponed
Director Davis broadly infers, that
the present desire of b u RIVER
settlers for irrigation must continue
through a yea or two OF heavy ram
fall before the reclamation service will
feel justified in accepting their change
of heart as permanent. The director
considers it possible that the absence
of opposition to irrigation by entrymen
on the project at the present tlne Is
due to the succession OF dry years re-
Gently experienced. His letter says In
part: -
.'The resolutions speak of a large
contemplation for the Sun River
project in 1916. In that year and dur
ing the expenditure of that approprl-
alton. settlers on the Sun river lands
met in mass meeting and demanded the
cessation of work, protesting against
the DETACHMENT of their farms by irrl-
CATION bitches. 1t was because the
works had been contracted that the
work was not stopped at that time,
and the appropriation diverted else
where where it was badly needed. Since
that time, there has been received IN
Washington numerous protests against
the work, signed by various entrymen
on the Sun River project. protesting
that they did not need irrigation and
implying that they would not pay for
it If it were provided.
"It may be that there has been
some change of sentiment on the part
of the settlers. but this has doubtless
been caused by a succession of dry
years which showed the need of irriga-
ton in those years. When the pendu-
lum swings the other way and two or
three wet years in succession have oc-
Cured, it may be that their sentiment
will change and we will have a repeti-
ton of experience of fierce opposition
to the construction of works which
might be then under way. | would be
inclined to take this chance if we had
money available that was not badly
needed elsewhere, but | I'M the target
of fierce bombardment from various
directions for not pushing work faster
on other projects. / have now on my
desk and have just dictated a reply to
a long and very scathlng criticism
from the farmers in the North Platte
valley who have been waiting for many
years, and it has not been provided.
Admirer of Country
"I have always been an admirer Of
the Greenfields bench and the Sun
river slope on the north side of Sun
river, and would like immensely to see
these lands irrigated and intensely cul-
tivated, which | certainly hope to do
in the near future, but under all tie
circumstances / think it is wisest TO
spend money where there is no doubt
Of its welcome receipt and beneficial
use, and until there have been one or
two wet seasons and the farmerssAave
shown themselves willing to ~irrigate
under such circumstances, it is hardly
wise to divert money from regions bad
ly needing and where there is no doubt