Show THE DROUGHT j j- j The drought is very serious It is r effecting our crops and will shorten our our hay and grain production very materially this season We are not not I alone effected Idaho Montana Wyoming Wyoming Wyo Wyo- ming and portions of Colorado are r suffering likewise I I It is true this does not help us Inthe in ini i the the least but misery you know still l loves ves companY company and it is just natural natural for f for r us to take consolation as the old I l lady dY did She said thank God If my hens dont don't lay neither do my iny neighbors Seriously however the drought i h has s brought us together as affliction always brings human sympathies together to- to gether And so we hope that from t the e years year's disappointment and suffering suf suf- Jf fering lfering ring will be evolved some strong sUf 1 active policy that will be of permanent permanent permanent perma perma- nent benefit Some weeks ago the Executive committee of the defendant water users users in the basin decided to and get government officials together er and eee see lf a basis of agreement could not be reached and a policy of united acton ac- ac ton be adopted which would help I both Indians and settlers rs A committee committee committee com com- met with the government officials officials officials at Fort Duchesne and canvassed canvass- canvass r ed the situation They found the majority of the government men reasonable rea rea- I and sympathetic and willing to reason out the situation Not so however with one Individual Give us us all 11 we ask in our complaint was his his reply and will we close up the thep p pending litigation at once Despite n s this It was decided to carry the te matter to the Federal district attorney of the state The audience was asked for and the departments department's chief attorney from Denver was called called called call call- ed to Salt Lake Two long sessions were held with the attorneys and the Federal engineer and while the attorneys attorneys attorneys at at- were reasonable and would discuss the points offered with seeming seeming seem seem- ing ng sympathy the engineer took the same sam unbending stand that he did at atI I Fort Duchesne I must have my I pound of flesh No facts could be reached by which an agreement or stipulation could be arrived at but the committee commit commit- tee felt a better understanding with the government attorneys was had and the trip was not all loss In the mean time an audience was asked with the governor who kindly granted the same Calling In the state engineer the attorney general and the secretary of state a full free and profitable discussion discussion was had the conclusion of which was that the f whole facts of the controversy between between be be- tween the settlers and the Indian rights rights' should be be compiled and an appeal appeal apt ap- ap t peal made directly to Secretary Lane of the Interior department at Washington Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington and see if a settlement could not be reached in that way and the expense e of prosecuting the suit further further further fur- fur ther be avoided To this end the governor proffered to o head the delegation and being a I personal friend with the secretary he felt H d assure 4 an au audience co uld DO IJO I had Our senators would be bo called in and the matter threshed over and I it was it-was was felt a settlement could could be had hadin hadin I in this way Imme immediately On reaching home the committee called together the advisory board of or these these defendant companies and laId laic the matter before them and it was unanimously decided to make this I one further attempt at Washington before further prosecuting the matter matter matter mat mat- ter In In the courts The whole situation of Indian rights has been further complIcated complicate by the action of the last legislature The settlers have never denied the tin I I I I rights of the Indians to their primary filings under the state law and have ever been willing to grant actual Indian Indian In In- dian Ian holders of lands a primary water wat wat- er right under these filings But the settler settler has objected and still objects to to allotted lands being sold to white- white men men at a price In many instances of less than the canals cost and then to grant these lands primary water rights rights' whether they have been cultivated cultivated or not The settler settle has been perfectly willIng willIng willing will- will Ing to meet the Indi Indian n and his water wat wat- er filing under the state l law w which would have compelled the Indian to have submitted his proofs in June and July 1919 but the legislature steps in and extends the time whereby whereby where- where by thIs proof may be called for so that now under this new law and the time granted the Indian filings Vand fand and this applies to the filings on the lands sold and held In many instances purely for speculation a a period of two y years ars which with the energy displayed In the p past st two years will permit the government to make proof on all the water the Indians claim i f This however raises another question I Th The Indians ask hsk sk for a primary I right fright right for acres from the Uintah and Whiterocks rivers Ivers This This This' w would uld m mean an approximately approximately second feet of water with a d duty ty of 70 acres of land to 1 second foot of water Covering a period of ten years the records show that there has not been an average August flow in these three streams bt f more than second feet so that the claims of th Indians for the maximum quantity would fall short about second feet of water a year In oth other r words this dry season has caused us to dig up these records and to lo look k the matter squarely In inthe the he face with the result that to supply supply sup- sup ply ly the Indians from these three streams the amount of or water claimed claim claim- ed for them will require storage by bythe bythe the he government for the Indians So it has now been decided not only to make the trip to Washington but to put the matter squarely up to the government and to ask through the Reclamation department that the government furnish the money to store water for the Indians and for all the settlers also permitting the theatter latter atter a long period of years at low interest In which to repay the government government government gov gov- and to take over the storage storage storage stor stor- age age systems To thIs end Mr Lytle chief representative representative rep rep- of the Reclamation department department department de de- In the west was asked to cometo to Ro Roosevelt sevelt and meet with representatIves representatives representatives rep rep- of all the canal companies com com- panics paules using water from these three rivers and to help to devise a plan of unification and cooperation whereby we can all get together under one storage plan and have water for all for which canals have now been constructed Word has been received from Mr Lytle that he cannot come to Roose- Roose but he urges representatives be besent besent besent sent to Provo to meet him and canvass canVass canvass can- can Vass vass the situation I I I I All data pertaining to the cost of each reach canal and system the acreage under the same and the amount in cultivation has been sent him and meetings will be held on Friday and Saturday here and at these it Is supposed supposed sup sup- posed that delegates will be selected and sent to Provo to meet Mr Lytle and land from such meeting It is hoped a plan for cooperation an unification unification uni uni- will be bo developed and water assured for all lands now under canals ca- ca nals als and from this basis the present suit and Federal injunction will be- be moved and all energy spent in increasing In- In creasing the water supply for our lands At a future time the question of reservoirs and reservoir and reservoIr sites will be discussed Respectfully R. R S S. S COLLETT Roosevelt Utah July 22 1919 |