The Benton record., 1878-05-03
III HG GE AT'EOTs


prosperity for Montana during th
, coming season. Whatever th
outlook may be in other parts g
the Territory, and we have n
doubt it is very encouraging, tn
prospect in this locality is brighte
now than it has been since the day
when it is said that golden nugget
were more plentiful than shirt but
tons, and that nothing less than .
"home stake" would induce mar
to perform days labor.
Il is safe to say that if Montana
has seen her best days, she has also
experienced the most unpropitiout
season Of her existence. We say
her best days, for they are 30 re-
garded by those who lived in the
Flush times" but who are now,
alas I dead broke, and have moth
ing to reconcile them to honorable
poverty but the recollections of
former wealth. But from moral
ponit of view, the period when
road agents commanded more
respect than elergymen and most
persons felt an ambition to pop
ulate private graveyard, might
be considered the least creditable
page in the history Of our fair Ter.
ritory. However that may be,
there can be no question, that
while seemingly taking adoWn hill
course, Montana has, from the date
of the first discovery of gold within |
her borders, been steadily advanc-
ing towards permanent prosperity,
and all things considered, her pro-
gress has been wonderfully rapid.
Her nstural resources, it is true,
have always been such as to insure
success, sooner or later, but the
elements required to develop those
resources have always been want II
.ng, and but for the indomitable
energy, pluck and perseverance Of /
he comparatively few inhabitants :
Who remained after the advent /
'rers had sought other c1imes to 3
pend their easily obtained wealth, !
he Territory might have con- t
inued for many more generations a
small ind isolated community, t
r perhaps degenerated iuto its s
ormer state of : reproducing 4
'ilderness. Il
It is true that if the same efforts v
,ow in progress had been exerted r.
N years ago, Montana would Of
ithout doubt be today what there 81
good reason to believe it will be- m
1me within another decade, but bt
apltal and labor will naturally sc
'ek the most profitable sources Of I'll
ealta, or st least those which are bu
Ilcnlated to make the quickest th
Id sures* returns. 1t was there &c
re unreasonable to expect that lal
bile the fur-trade afforded pro. Br
able sourch of investment, and tic
g mines yielded fortunes upon th
rtunes to all who desired to seek lar
EN-, that either capital or labor SUI
ould be directed to the develop fal
INT Of the minor resources of the IN
antry, or TO the encouragement ter
immigration while the latter it cat
i not even desirable. All this is Law
anged now. The fur-trade has grs
clined beyond resuscitation, and the
hough the mines still contain IN. gro
Iited wealth, they are no longer san
lavish Of their treasurers as tha
y were in Flush times" inf
labor and capital has therefore
n turned into other channels. I
riculture and stockraising have Po,
aged the attention Of labor, and Co.
the success Of these industries derI
dependent upon increased pop sen,
len, capital released from the soul
trade seeks to supply this de heat
ID BY encouraging immigration. tloti
awhile, soeialimprovement has for
paved the way for immigra- time
and permanent prosperity. they