Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-04-19
WHAT SHALL WE Dor

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papers without concluding that a spiri
somewhat akin to despair has taken pos
session of al sections of the Territory
The Husbandman, bewailing absence o.
mining enterprise at Diamond, predict.
Its ruin-the Record, claiming the frs
bat at Benton will be the signal tor al
exodus to the Black Hills, asserts thai
unless so:uething be done the Territory
must soon be depopulated-the Herald
the Madisonian, the North West, the In.
tho Mlssoulian. all admitting
with more or less seriousness the dis.
couraging aspect of affairs, ask, what
shall we do? Benton sees salvation in
the Benton and Helena Railroad-Helena
wants this, and Deer Lodge wants that
and Madison and Gallatin, and this coun
ty and that, have each their psnacea fol
evils here, and evils yet to come.
Our people and our papers harp upon
the benefits to accrue from . railroad
but no two sections of the Territory ever
have fully agreed, AMI, as things are, can
not fully agree, upon any special road, 81
any SPECIAL REM 1y for the disease eating
into the very vitals of Montana.
Situated as we are in division of coun.
try of large area, sparsely populated, and
of diverse Interests, it Is probably useless
to hope for any present unanimity OF
opinion between our different and widely
separated centres-thc experience of the
pas: has shown the impossibility of con-
cert of action, and it now would seem to
be the d7ty of each to consider ito own
peculiar necessities, and to devise fol-
itself some way of escape from the dan.
gers which threaten. While this may
appear at first blush selfish programme ,
it is, we much fear, the only practical and
feasible one possible to submit or suggest.
We do not believe any "North and South
Bill, 7" or any Helena and Benton Bilr'
can be adopted at the polls-we question
the present prospects of the Northern
Pacific road-we see no hope for the
Cheyenne road. Upon these projects the
people of Montana do not, will not, can
not. agree. Then, what shall we do?
To Eastern Montana we feel obliged to
out Jour own salvation. But
hows BY way of the Yellowstone.
And to obtain this relief tbere must be
less talk and more work. Shall we ask
again survey OF the Yellowstone by the
? Yes. How shall we ask
it-through our Delegate alone! No.
How theni By sending q delegation to
Washington during the coming session of
Congress. Is that ALT No-Gallatiu
would she retain and obtain q
market and her population, must put her
OWN shoulders to the wheel ard her hand
10 her pocket, and do something for her
'elf. Ga!latin can, and should, vote
money for the survey and improvement
If the Upper Yellowstone. In view Of the
present gloomy prospects, if the people of
this county have any confidence whatev er
10 the navigability Of that river, they
should move in the matter NOW and uu i
hesitstingly. As sure as fate, her present
market threatens TO leave her-her popu :
|atiOn threatens continuous decrease
property threatens further decline. What,
then. shall she do! Sit still and await
The Intervention of Providence-or pack
up her movable possessions and move to
pastures new. abandoning the effort and
hopes of years-or make . desperate
rffort to secure for herself retention of
what she has and the addition of al she
has looked. for In the psstl
She must ''iish, or cut bait, or 20
home" Which? We believe she can
both fab and cut bait 1t the same time !;
and We submit to her consideration the
Gallatin county should take immediate
steps to improve, and obtain u. 8. Inn.
provement Of, the Yellowstone rives.