Changes

==History==

==History==

===Law and order===

===Law and order===

Gangs of cattle thieves and individual rustlers threatened law and order in the late 19th century. Ranchers starting in the 1870s organized Stockmen's associations to fight back. A minority of stockmen organized into vigilante groups to protect their stock, but most stockmen worked with the legislature to create a stock commission that could oversee their interests. After 11 years of lobbying stockmen finally succeeded in getting a protective law. By working within the legislative process, stockmen transformed themselves and their frontier from a place characterized by isolation and violence to one of organization and law.<ref>T. A. Clay, "A Call to Order: Law, Violence, and the Development of Montana's Early Stockmen's Organizations." ''Montana: the Magazine of Western History'' 2008 58(3): 48-63, 95-96</ref>

Gangs of cattle thieves and individual rustlers threatened law and order in the late 19th century. Ranchers starting in the 1870s organized Stockmen's associations to fight back. A minority of stockmen organized into vigilante groups to protect their stock, but most stockmen worked with the legislature to create a stock commission that could oversee their interests. After 11 years of lobbying stockmen finally succeeded in getting a protective law. By working within the legislative process, stockmen transformed themselves and their frontier from a place characterized by isolation and violence to one of organization and law.<ref>T. A. Clay, "A Call to Order: Law, Violence, and the Development of Montana's Early Stockmen's Organizations." ''Montana: the Magazine of Western History'' 2008 58(3): 48-63, 95-96</ref>

===Water battles ===

===Water battles ===

Although western Montana has plenty of water, it is not always in the right place in the arid eastern half. The result has been extended controversy of state and local controls, the use of tens of thousands of private wells, the rights of Indian tribes, and the needs of oil refineries.<ref> Brian Shovers, "Diversions, Ditches, & District Courts: Montana's Struggle to Allocate Water" ''Montana: the Magazine of Western History'' 2005 55(1): 2-15 </ref>

Although western Montana has plenty of water, it is not always in the right place in the arid eastern half. The result has been extended controversy of state and local controls, the use of tens of thousands of private wells, the rights of Indian tribes, and the needs of oil refineries.<ref> Brian Shovers, "Diversions, Ditches, & District Courts: Montana's Struggle to Allocate Water" ''Montana: the Magazine of Western History'' 2005 55(1): 2-15 </ref> The State Engineer's Office operated 18890-1964 but unable to control water regulation and insure dam safety. It faced varying climatic conditions, economic boom and bust, and political opposition. It never ultimately achieved the same regulatory authority of counterparts in other states. In 1965, the legislature abolished the Montana State Engineer's Office and incorporated it into the Montana Water Conservation.<ref>James E. Sherow, "'The Fellow Who Can Talk the Loudest and Has the Best Shotgun Gets the Water': Water Regulation and the Montana State Engineer's Office, 1889-1964". ''Montana: the Magazine of Western History'' 2004 54(1): 56-69  </ref>  

*[[State Governors]]

*[[State Governors]]

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