The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-11-24
SOLDIERS IN BENTON.

aE#@* ~ -~
SOLDIERS IN BENToN.@A
Of what use are soldiers in Benton is a
question which is often thoughtlessly asked
by citizens of Choteau county. Fort Benton
is the head Of navigation Of the longest river
in the world. All along this river the mill
tary posts have been the pioneers Of civiliza-
ton, extending their protecting arms to ada
cent settlements. Throughout all this West
ern country, wherever civilization has de-
manded military protection, our government
has placed its posts and their presence has
enabled our people to build up on that from
tier, in the very face of a savage and relent-
less foe, homes, cities, counties and states,
and verify to make the wilderness blossom as
the rose. s e$
The only difficulty with Fort Benton has
been that she has had no military post in her
immediate vicinity. II there had been one,
the town of Benton and the country around
it would long ago have been the most pros
porous in all the Territory of Montana. She
would nave taken that foremost place to
which her geographical position and naviga-
BILE advantages entitle her. But, unfortunate
~ for our town, it was in the past simply an
Indian trading post. 1t was not the policy
of the persons who first owned that post, nor
that Of those who subsequently became IN
terested in the Indian trading business at
Benton, 30 encourage emigration to this sec
ton by letting its superior advantages as q
grazing and farming country be known. In
deed, it was decidedly to their advantage to
keep all emigration out, and thus prevent
competition in their lucrative trade with In
dams, hunters and trappers.
Had this been a military post it would have
been different. Within its protecting range
people would lave titled the soil, builded
homes, and hDcks and herds would have in
creased, and this country to-day would De
the Oldest, richest and most populous in all
the Northwest. AS it is, we are just begin
ming to realize its wonderful and unbounded
resources as a gazing, mining and agrlcultur-
al country and Benton, the commercial
center of this young empire-for it is an en-
pire in size and capacity-is just beginning
to assert her supremacy as the leading bust
ness mart of Montana, and one whose per-
manency and future greatness is assured SO
long as the waters of its mighty river shall
flow onward through the grandest and rich
est of all civilized lands until they join the
restless pillows Of the Mexican gulf.
There are many people who, in fancied Sc
curity, after, as they suppose, all danger is
past, amuse themselves by unnecessary and
senseless criticisms of the military arm of
our government. They talk about fayoritism
IN the letting Of contracts-of privileges al
lowed post traders and denied others--of
money made by contractors, and crooked
ways N doing it-and many other things OF
which they know little and talk much. 1t IS
true that ID military life, as IN civil and bust
ness life, there are men whose ways are
questionable, and whose acts win not at all
times bear investigation to their credit. And
it is true that there are military men who for
B6L tudI tAcy hIG OuICtIS. anu, bSiHb oluGcIs.
they should be gentlemen and who inter-
fere with men and things outside Of their
strict line of duty. But the anne is true of
men IN all walks Of life. Such men are of
ten endured, but never respected.
Situated as we are near the line Of British
North America, it. is a national necessity that
posts like Fort A%ssinaboin should be built
farther west and at points near enough to the
boundary to prove effective for defense at all
times In case Of further trouble with our
neighbors Of Canada. Another large post
like Assinaboin is needed near the line
somewhere on the eastern side Of the main
range of the Rockies, and still another west
OF the range, and SO on to the Pacific. Ben
ton, being at the head Of navigation. should
be the main depot, and the point to which all
supplies designed for these posts should be
shipped and q large surplus Of all kinds Of
needed supplies should be held here ID store
for emergencies. Such precautions might
never be ne eded, and then again complica-
tons might arise which would render them
~lminenlly necessary. We know that the