The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1872-10-26
ANECDOTES OF PUBLIC MEE.
by Gel. J. ". FeEnsy.
From the sunday Morning Chronicle

From the Sunday Morning ChrOncic.
Now that the Territories have assumed
significance. not to say grandeur, unknown
in the days IF jackson and Polk. We may
better appreciate Thomas H. Bcnton's store.
"typcd advice whenever q young man
called on him in Washington to ask his in
ilucncc for . clcrkship in one of the
departments: Go to the Territories, sir;
or to one of the new States. Go to Iowa or
Missouri; 60 to Wisconsin or Illinois. II
You are a lawyer, hang out your shingle and
show that you arc deserving; ifa farmer.
buy quarter section of land and cultivate
it; IL . mechanic, open your shop and work
but don't stay hero to burn yourself out
with rum, or rust out with idlencss. Do
anything but serve ~ . slave In ono ut
these wrctched bureaus" Good sdvice
thirty, forty. even fifty years ago, and bet,
ter to-day. The men who went forth into
the Territories in Benton's time, when he
left Tenncsse for Missouri or when Sam
Houston left Tennesse for Texas, or when
John G. Breckenridge tried his fortunes
by removing from Kentucky to Iowa after
the Mexican war like the carly pioneers to
other regions, when the West wss founded
by the Missouri river-these men had hard
time of 1t. They had to meet not only .
primitive people, but to trsverse primitive
country with few or no couveniences, either
OF food or shelter, and to give weeks and
months of valuable time before they reached
their destination How different u day !!
We 20 West in palace cars, swift rs the
sigl,tlcss couricrs of the air." to lind even
in the heart cf the Rocky hountsina. and
in the defilcs of the Sicrras, the best lusus.
les ot life end the choicest temptations IL
business enterprise or professional ambition.
These modern inducements take III much ut
the superior material Of the older States,
and We need not he surprised II the West
and the Pacific slope furnish, hereafter, the
strongest minds in public affairs. Perhaps
the manifest depreciation Of the lawyers OF
the old States 10 to be attributed 10 the cxo'
dus u the more attractive fields of Ous
young mco. Brains have not long 70 wait
for employment In the Territoncs; they arc
in constant demand, and always st pre-
mium. Money sors . great ways, but II
cannot forever buy mediocrity into Office.
Thee are too many competitors for the pri
zes, and in fact too much capital In ihs
hands Of able men. to give sn inferior msn u
superior chance. No doubt money decides
many contest, out the winner is nearly
always fit I" ill the place he secures. And
AS the opportunities for wealth increase will
the chances for prcfcrmcnt, ~" may pre-
pare for new rush to tho Territories with
| out parallel. W. arc, in fact, in the mcr'
inf4n,y of development. Marvellous as tn
Contrast Is between the present and past, !
IS as wo,hiny TO the contrast between th'
present and the near fu ure Our progres
has .I,any opuicnt worlds to redeem ant
some to conquer from our rcighbors. Mel
like Su,.s,..rs Nyc aud Stewart, Of Nevada
Governor Evane, Of Colorado; Govcrns'
McCo, mick, Of Arizona Ben Holiday, o
Oregon, and w. c. RallsiOn, Of California
fortunate and honored as they orc. will b
succeeded by intellect IS marked and by sue
cess Is brilliant; as most of Us will live :
see it for ourselves, and to realize that, how
ever heavy the reinforcements, there IL roo'
enough and reward enough for all.