The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-08-24


years ago by cool observer, when the apos.
ties of subsidy were preaching 10 us our lost
condition and informing us that the only es-
cape from starvation was in promoting rail-
road construction, that this was tue only
country he ever saw where laborIng man
could earn enough in four months of the
year 10 support him comfortably for twelve.
That was true then. II will never be true
again. The economies Of The world are I'M
happily SO adjusted that those who work not
do nothing always, and those who labor
must toll constantly. 1t is with that world
we are now to be identifed-the industrial
Utopia Of Montana is a thing of the past.
The wall of isolation, shutting us 10 as an
unbiased community, with our gold and sill
yer and plenteous harvests, and out from the
tens and millions who struggle for great for
tunes or existence and more room, is broken
down. We must take our chances with
those not only of our fellow men to whom
bread and meat is boon, but with those
who have wealth and influence and skill to
grasp our resources and industries, and use
the labor Of the less fortunate In worldly
affairs TO add surplus TO their accamulatIons.
No people have ever had opportunities sur
passing ours to prepare for this inevitable
revolution, but we doubt If the day finds one
in score Of the sold timers" prepared for
1t. With our mountains full of good quartz
veins, how many of the old rospectors and
miners have taken trouble to search out and
procure title to property, at nominal cost,
that with the early developments now as
sured would yield competence? How many
have acquired lands and water rights that
could be had for small expenditure and that
will be valuable for all time? How many
have taken advantage Of their opportunities,
more or less? They are In the minority.
Yet how many have acquired extravagant
and reckless habits, living In happy.go.
lucky manner, taking no heed of the NOR
row, and acting as If there were 10 hereafter
even in Montana? We fear their name is
legion, and that when the opportunity Is past
they will waste the breath in cursing rail-
roads and pilgrims that should be expended
in saying: 81 saw this coming and prepared
for It," To the sold timers" we say: 1t is
not even yet past the possible hour to pre-
pare against the inevitable, and we take the
occasion Of the event recorded TO impress the
situation. We are in the transition. You
are yet holding the vantage ground, and
there is yet little time TO acquire that
which in another year or two will be beyond
your reach. The worst foes we have to con-
tend with are our dilatory and extravagant
habits; and the best friends We have TO aid
us are our own efforts and the opportunity
that is offered in unacquired properties.
We have no antipatby to pilgrims and rail-
roads. There is room and opportunity for
good men and women and capital. The rail-
road is the greatest benefactor America has
had, developing Its resources, building up
the Nation and protecting it from dissolu-
ton. But our sympatbies are with the old
timers, and we do not wish TO see the iron
evangelist Of Progress burst into the camps
of the pioneers with its gospel of "get and
keep" until they realize its mysteries andun
derstand its doctrines.
The completion of the east and west line
through Montana means more than its APP
termini; more than did the exten.
sion to us Of feeding line from the south.
We are placed on the borders of great high
way, when before we were ut the extremity
of paths. The facilities for travel are now
complete and every actual or adventitious
aid that advertising and facility can give will
be drafted into service to command immigra-
people seeking employment and homes, the
many honest and the few nefarious the few
content with the accommodations aud prac-
tices Of wharf rats and the many seeking TO
build we'll and live better than we do. Dur
ing construction there have been local ad-
vantages and benefits that will no longer con-
time and very soon the expenditures of the
railroad company will be reduced to the min
imum by discharge Of employees and cessa-
ton OF work, and IL will look for revenue
from communities where heretofore 1t has
been one Of the principal patrons. Every
Montana town, and self-asserted city, will
feel this-eyen, IN time, those which the
Railroad Company has identified with, and
prolongs It's expenditures In, By the erection
Of shops and other BUILDINGS. Each CON-
munity will be thrown on les own resources,
aided only by railroad companies where they
can see cent per cent for their aid. This Is
business, cold-blooded, unsympaihetic and
as artistically courteous in presiding at q fu-
neral as at marriage.
So far as Deer Lodge is concerned, 1t Is
inevitable that there shall be depression.
The Utah and Northern has had Its terminus
here for nearly year. It has done us all the
good, and more than the good, we could ex-
pect. The freights to Helena, Missoula. and
all intermediate points hare gone from here
and pass myers have been iuterchanged here
by coach and rail until, with all the unsur-
passable facilities OF the town, they have
been taxed 10 the utmost. Directly and in-
directly this has benefited the entire com
munlty. II has ended now aud we return TO
normal conditions and business. II will be
felt at first, perhaps keenly. But In the
course Of events all will come right. The
cessation Of coach travel will detract from
the business Of the place, but that has been
an exceptional advantage Of the situation
that we could not reasonably expect to
last as long as It has. We are now depend
ent on our legitimate and constant trade and
travel and while business will DO decreased
for the time, Is will 10 short time be sur
passed BY our natural and nursnal require
menis. We have had no sboom, !" fortunate.
~, and hence win feel less the transition 10 |
the new condition. We hare a good sur
rounding country fall Of developed resourc- /
cs and with almost certainty Of being the
center Of rich mineral camps. II The latter !