The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1949-06-30

may be waiting a long time.
Too, we appear to be enter
ing a period of uncertainty in
our western reclamation devel-
0pment. Things can change
either way. To explain.
Last year a representative of
the Montana Power Co. testi-
fled in the strongest possible
terms against the Hungry
Horse project. This year, a cou-
pie of weeks ago, Chairman
Hayden asked this same person
how he felt about the Hungry
Horse, and he said his people
had no objection to it.
Last year, Through an emer-
gency appropriation by Cong
resS, the Moorehead was order
ed under construction; the rea-
son given that President Tru-
man wished some flood con-
troll projects. 1t was to have a
storage capacity of 100000 acre
feet for flood control. The Bur-
eau of Reclamation is planning
a project of AM 800, 900 acre
foot storage, with some 10000
acres of potential irrigation.
This made a different project
so far as Wyoming was con-
cerned, and z witnesses ap-
peared in opposition to it. Sun
days Gazette gave the Bureaus
version of it. You have been
reading of Gov. Miller's opposi-
ton. ..>s
We now have three proposed
programs for the Missouri de-
velopment: the Army-Bureau
program { now the law, the
proposed N. ". A., now before
Committees of the Congress,
and the proposed Hoover COM
mission Plan, which is also be-
fore the Congress. If the latter
recommendation can be enacted
into law, it will be, I believe, a
real step forward. but the Ar
nv engineers will be hard to
kill off. The only thing to be
gained is the matter of econ
omy-if either the M. v. A.. or
the Hoover Plan were to be-
come the law, the same engi-
neers and personnel would carry
on. '
It seems to me that the best
way for us to, proceed is for
all of us to push for app~opria-
tons for DEVELOPMENT and let
the rest fight over the manner
of accomplishment. In other
words, work harder than ever
to come into construction at
the earliest possible date.
With this idea in mind, I
took the liberty of chatting
with E. w. Rising about secur-
ing his services in Washington
to represent us in this effort.
A year ago MI. Buck and
others talked with Rising about i
representing the Yellowstone
Basin, but at the annual meet
ing a couple of months ago, the
Moorehead was an obstacle, so
nothing was done. I do not
believe it would be practical
under present conditions, but
it does seem to me that those
interested in the Montana Big
Horn could well afford to Sc
cure some such person at this
time. -
Things have developed in
to a proposition of
every area for itself. I wish
the Billings people would join
with us, but the group who
control the Billings Commercial
Club are verv much Montana
Power Co. minded. y
The Montana Power Co. is
apparently for all power pro-
iects over which it can control
the power, but it wants to
know about the mower from the
Hardin Project first be"ause it
Is important in its statewide
plan. Therefore it has not
no to the present time filed
objection to the Hardin Project
IN Congress. but its Spokesman
has stated that the Power Co.
build a steam power
plant to supply this areas
needs. rather than have the
Big Horn Power developed
without a satisfactory partici-
patton in ii by the Power Co.
Apparently we are at the
cross roads. Which road shall
We take? This is the purpose !
Of nv presentation to YOU. Do
YOU want to Quit and take
Do You want TO keep
On pushing for construction
now?
IF YOU wish to keep on push
ng for construction. nv sug-
restinn is that u,e secure rep
.e~Sentatinn in WASHINGTON To-