Profitable Ditch Making

"The greatest opportunity for corporate monopoly and money-making in the country is in Montana to-day," said General James S. Brisbin, who stopped in this city on his way to Washington. "What is that opportunity?" askcd a Times reporter. "It is in the power given bv law to owners of irrigating ditches," cöntinued the General. "The soil of Montana produces threefold when, properly irrigated. Knowing this the Legislature, desiring to encourage agrieulture, cuacted a law with the prearuble that whoever made the soil more produetive was a public benefactor. They then proceeded to give the irrigators extiaordinary powers, Any one desiring to build an irrigating ditch can run it through your house, if it suits him. He may exercise the right of eminent domain over any one but the owner of another ditch. He can't cross another line. Added to this is the fact that the charter runs forever and the charge for irrigation thus beeomes a purpetual tax on the land. As to the money in it I will give you an instanee: Thereisa ditch at Billings, Montuna, nwnerf by Herman Clark, which is thirty-liv'e miles long and covers 100,000 acres. It cost $100,000 to dig. At a charge of of fifty cents a year for cach of the 100,000 acres which it covers it paid $60,000 tho first year. I'd rather own the ditch than the land it waters, and I bolfeve that the owenership of fmch a ditch is the most lucrative occupation in Montana, although tho wealth of that Territory is enormous."- Philndelmiia Times. - A disgusted serenader. - A youth went forth to serenado The lady whom ho loved the best. And pagsod boncutli the munsion's shude Wliere erst his charmer uued to rest. Ho warbJcd UU tho morninjr liffht Camo dancinjr o'er tho hilltops' rim, But no fair maiden bloeod his sürht. And all seomed dark and drearlo him. Wlth heart nglow and eyos ablaze He drew muoh noarer than bofore, When to hls horror and amaze He saw "To Let" upon the door.