Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-12-11
RAILROAD COMMUNICATION.

stcnt till there is a certain prospect OF
.llrcad. The hopes Of Eastern Montana
ave been directed 10 the Northern Pacific.
nd all tia. ourpeop'e can say or dc would
{ for the completion Of that great high
-ay. But, we can have very little intii-
nee in fastening it on. Could our voice
ave influence with Congress. not man
! Montana would withhold his aid 10 this
Dad, SO indispensable t. the development |
t cur rich and varied productions. If.
oweycr, the legislation of Congress
hould be unfav lrable to the Northern
,acitic, then 1t bchoOves the people OF
his Territory 10 do something 10 secure
abroad connection with the outer world.
" G cannot longer endure isolation, unless
We are willing to lose half If our popula>
ION and drag out an int0ierab!e existence.
We have an abundance of rich minerals
rich and productive lands-cattle on
thousand hllls-rich aud nutritious grasses;
IN It, our natural advantages are unsur
passed. vet we are making no progress In
many respects cverytl ing IS retrograding
in MANY ways. How long can we stand
the present condition Of affairs? The
people are compelled to some decisive ac>
ton if they mean to make Montana per.
manent home. This Territory IS over ten
wears Old, and we DO not believe that there
Is as much energy and public spirit as
the-c VIVA in the first ycArs.nf its Organiza-
ton. We seem to have lost al interest in
questions for our advancement and inn
proyement. We canno: we'll explain the
cause of the apathy and indifference. We
would like 10 be in possessiOnof the pow
or to rouse every citizen of Montana to the
necessity of doing something to Obtain
railroad facilities. We are firmly of the
opinion that il we are to have railroad
at an early day, it must be by the action
of the people OF the Territory themselves.
They must move in the matter-take mia
tory steps to bring road to us. We think
this subject of railroad connection should
engage the attention of all, and some plan
devised and agreed upon by which peo
pie can get in and out of the Territory in
something else than bull train or misGra
ble icrkeys. We trust all the papers in
the Territory will take hold Of this mat
ter. and arouse proper interest. Oul
future prosperity depends very much on
the fact whether we are have railroad IN
this century or the next.
Since writing the above we find in thu
Helena Herald very interesting letter
copied from the Springfield Mass.) Re
.-hlican on Mnnfana and lis needs, from
which we give the extract below, being
in consonance W til our own views,
THE labor of the pioneers =. present il
the Territories IL testing the capabil'lc!
Vi our soil and the pecGliarities OF thu
sea. ons is largely for the interest OF thu
General government and future genera
tons, and constitutes very strOns claim
npon the government for more ocnerou!
treatment than they are receiving q. prs
cEt. What is true of our ranchncn is as
true Of our miners While few may re-
aIize large and speedy returns, Of which
the whole country receives lorge benefit
the larger portion labor on from ear Il
year, gaining nothing for themselves, bu
really in TIE service of the country u,
'arge, in failures supporting themselves
and in all their discoveries admitting thu
general government to a liberal share. lht
present season has not been il very pro
ductive one to miners. The yield Of on,
Territory for the year will hardly exceed
four m,liiy:s. about thru 'cc"s than las
year. But the shipment Of crude 9 e
from our silver mines has increased Urge
ly the present year, probably amounting
to 100 tons. shipped at great cost of time
and money, leaving the poor miner will
all his risks aud labor the smallest share
of profit. Such considerations inevitably
suggest the pressing need 1f ,aIl ns y
Who would be the principal beneficiary
from fine construction of the Northern
Pacific railroad? Compared with profits
or benefits 10 Inure to any individual OF
company, the Government would gain
millions TO others hundreds. Government
representing the nation at large Can derive
no benefit from its lands, till they arc set
tied aud cultivated. Only then AMI IN that
way is the national wealth actually in.
creased. Can 1t BE- expected that any pr,
vatc company Can be organized strong
enough to accomplish this mi ghty pit ce OF
work, and rich enough to await the devc!'
opment Of the country, that will make
such road self-sustaining and then re-
munerat!ve? Government can and ought
to make the immediate construction Of this
road possible by resuiniag its land grant
and guaranteeing its bonds. With the
light of past errors aud ncglects in sccur>
ing itself against final loss, the Govern
ment can more safely 60 forward in this
life of aiding private companies in deyel
oping the greater general interests Of the
nation. We would tear and regret to sec
any railroad company the owner Of such
vast portions of our public domain a
would fall to the Northern Pacific railroad
company under its original grant. Gov
eminent only should own the soil, till il
is wanted for actual cultivation. The pres
eDt system Of dealing between Govern
ment and railroad companies is Nasteful
q I'd in violation Of the soundest principles
of national policy. We hope to see this
principle speedily adopted aud never here
after departed from, to hold its lands in
its own hands and never part with an acre
except to an actual settler and clltivator.
As soon as lands pass into the hands of
companies, they begin 10 corrupt leglsla-
ton and o.nc ais 10 prevent taxation, and
their intere is t. hold on the best sec.
tons Of land 10 realize the most profit 10
themselves. The settlement Of country
Is retarded, and in the end Government
loses four>fold what il would gain by the
wiser and better course of holding its lands
exclusively for settlement, and seeking as
early as possible to open them to settles
ment. We hope the attention of Congress
to assemble in December will be given to
some of the practical and pressing guess
tons concerning the material welfare of
our people. particularly to the wants of
the Territories. whose great interests are
in their hands and ut their
mercy. The nation wants the gold and
silver in our mines-it wants all the grain
that can grow on our fertile b inches, it
wants the herds and flocks that can find
fat pasturage over our thousands Of hills
Let them help to build railload to our
borders and all these treasures are theirs
in abundance.
A Courier Journal special from Mount
KY. says it is reported there that
John d. White, Republican Congressman
elect from the 9th Kentucky district. shot
and killed Harrison COckerell, his Demo,
cratic competitor in the lot. election, in
Estill county. The canvass between them
was very bitter and personal, and few
lays since Cockcrell published card
making very severe structures on White.
Probably this card precinifafed the 6;ffi.