The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1963-07-19

Indian rights and legal status under
existing treaty with our tribe. The
indians like to be considered as re-
sponsible as other citizens. Perhaps
you recall that Flathead Indian was
one of the four men who carried the
American flag to the toptof Mt. Sura-
bachi on Two Jima.
SMALL DAMS MUCH MORE
DESTRUCTIVE
The big dam is certainly better than
the alternatives proposed which is to
build many small dams in the head
waters of the tributaries such as the
North and Middle Forks of the Flat
head, East Fork of the Bitterroot and
the Nine Mile Prairie in the Black
foot. Much more would be destroyed
by the small dams and they would be
much more expensive on a per acre
foot basis.
The long term objective of water
development is that we must plan
NOW to make full use of our water
resources and at the same time
come up with a combination of
storage reservoirs that cause the
least damage to agriculture, trans
portation routes, wildlife, wilder
ness, etc. We need vast storage of
fresh water to serve humanity.
We are all aware of the detergent
and chemical pollution of the rivers in
the thickly populated areas-the sew
age disposal plants being unable to
cope with the weird chemical combi-
nations dumped into the rivers. The
power companies look at the problem
only from their short term economic
interest. They use the states rights,
the tribe, local civic groups and news
papers (who they have in their pock-
ct because of advertising, etc., to
muddy the waters. They hammer on
federal dams as being socialistic. This
is nonsense.
THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION
The question is HOW DO WE AS
A SOCIETY MAKE FULL AND Eff
FICIENT USE OF OUR. WATER
This question should
not be decided upon for the short
term economic gains of individuals
or private power companies and the
national interests must prevail over
sectional interests. Arrangements can |
be made to protect the upstream in
terests where the water must be |
stored by a reservation of water for
local use. by setting aside block of |
power to be used locally and by long
term annual payments to the tribe,
and there must be other arrangements
that can be worked out so that all
share fairly in the benefits. Only pub
lie power can be reserved by law for
use in Montana.
All this, of course, is what makes
the error of Hells Canyon such an
outstanding fiasco. To build small
dams at the Buffalo Rapids sites
is to repeat the Hells Canyon mis-
take-and even worse, as Buffalo
Rapids would produce no storage.
have lived on the Flathead Reser-
ration in Sanders and Lake counties
nv entire life except for three years
turing WV ii, have fished and swan
n the Flathead River, hunted geese
ind ducks on the river, hunted phea-
;ants near the river, spending many
years and walking many miles in the
lrea to be inundated by the construc-
ion of this federal dam. / feel | am
Iuite familiar with the reservation
urea.
4 FEW MAKE "FAIR LIVING"
True, there are several pieces OF
and within this area on which fair
living can be made and it is sad that
hose people who will have to be re-
ocated will have to make this sacrl-
ice for the many. urge that every
be given the people IN
rolved. Several families operate small
arms in the Moiese area and because
# economic necessity, have outside