The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1868-09-04

with navigable rivers opening their
channels 10 commerce in almost the cen.
ter of the country, and with those facili-
ties for communication which Utah had
not. we should be able in five years, To
establish such home industries as il has
taken the Mormons twenty years in
building up. But over FIVE years have
passed since the settlement of the Ter
ri;ory, and we have done comparatively
nothing in the line referred to. The
reason is, that we have adopted from
hand-to-mouth" rule of action, which
compelled our citizens TO provide only
for the hour, and to obtain everything
possible outside the Territory. And this
is still the case to considerable extent:
even wagon loads OF eggs are. being al
most daily received here from Salt Lake.
Is this because the Montana poultry
does not produce as good "hen-fruit' as
the Mormon breed, or because il is not
profitable To engage in the raising OF
fowls, with eggs at one dollar and half
per dozen? Not at all. Neither is il be-
cause person engaging in this business
would not receive support, but simply
because our people still cling to their de-
pendence upon others, and remain asleep
tn the benefits which a community may
derive by making itself self sustaining.
The rule which has been adopted in
Uta' has been TO produce enough of
everything for home consumption and
have a little lett TO sell. While il is
impossible to- live entirely up to this
rule. the nearer we can come To- il the
better we shall be off, and hence it is
that our citizens should bestow more
attention upon home industries than
they have thus far done. thus promoting
their own riches and those of the Terri~
tory. OF our mineral wealth. silver and
gold. seem alone TO attract attention; of
our agricultural lands, only those which
lie in narrow strips along the margins
of the streams are cultivated, while
manufactures are almost entirely neg~
lected. And concerning this latter
branch OF industry, we must BOT omit TO
say word with reference more partic-
ularly to Helena. This town is now the
acknowledged metropolis OF tie Terri
tory. Born of rich mines, il has been
strengthened in its youth by the advan
tage of a commercial situation, and to
day occupies the proud position of the
chief city of the richest mineral country
in the world. We have no doubt that
il will retain its place, in fact we know
il may do so if it will. One of the great
est aids il can obtain in its efforts to do
this, will be found in manufactures. BY
the erection here. of manufacturing es-
tablishments, Helena will become the
magnet, which shall attract all other
portions of the Territory to 1t. Those
wishing to purchase any manufactured
article, or more especially, to have any
article manufactured, would be COM
PEELED to come here for that purpose, a
great impulse to the trade of the town
ma as the chief city of the mountains
would be permanently secured.
We hear the question as TO whether
the Capital shall be located here, much
discussed. 1t is not of half the impor-
tauce that this question of the promo
ton of home industries is. With the
latter satisfactorily answered, Helena
may realize her brightest dreams; may
become the great manufacturing center
az she already is the great commercial
emporium of Montana. and with greater
natural advantages than any town be-
tween the Missouri and California.
eventually find herself the metropolis
of all that section of the country includ-
ed in those boundaries.
That any of our above remarks will
cause our citizens to Immediately follow
our advice through any philanthropic or
disinterested motives, and for the sole
purpose of benefitting the community,
we do not believe; but our object will
have been accomplished if any word
that we have said may serve TO direct
their attention more particularly to the
subject of which we have spoken, and
set them to thinking concerning it. We
believe, gentlemen, that few careful
thoughts and a little figuring upon this
matter, will show you that you cannot
better serve yourselves, to say nothing
about the Territory, than by the estab.
lishInent and promotion of home indus
tries.
On Rogers of the Independent is
vexed in spirit, and occupies halt a COLI