Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-10-03
THE NORTH WEST.

Inc growth OF the great Northwest
during the past few years has been
something wonderful. At New Ulm,
Minnesota, the twenty-third a%nniyer-
sary of the Sioux massacre was cele-
brated a few days ago, and it was
noted among other things, that there
was not a tribe of Indians within 700
miles of the place. Since 1880 the
population of Minnesota has increas-
ed from 7SO,773 to 1,117,6S0, an in
crease of 1886, 1907, or 43 per cent. In
the last five years the increase has
been more than in the preceding de-
cade. In the meantime enough peo-
pie flowed over the border to Dakota
to give that region population enough
for two sovereign states. With only
slightly decreasing force the immi-
grafton has flowed westward over
Montana, Idaho, Washington and Or
egon. Washington is now ready for
statehood, and the promise of increase
there for the next five years is as good
as for the five years past. Oregon Is
a tremendous state. We do not
know Of another valley i'll the temper
ate zone Of the same size that can
produce as much food as the valley of
the Willamette. That row of states
between the Great Lakes and the Pa
cific will, a quarter OF a century
hence, command a marked influence
in this nation. They viii be peopled
by astalwaFt race. a race that in fight
ing for homes and fortunes in a brac-
ing climate, will take On naturally the
attributes which make, GA trial, a Ma
TONS frmest defense, When, too,
the railroads shall be extended over
the Cascades, making direct commu-
nication between Puget Sound and
the East, it will soon become the hab-
it to tit out the Alaska fishing fleets
from some point or points on that
Sound These fleets will increase
with the years until they will rival,
in the boats and the men engaged,
the palmiest years Of fishing on the
Newfoundland Banks. With the
building Of the smaller craft the hab-
it Of increasing the size will increase
until the West coast will be as we'll
equipped as the East with shipyards.
The iron IS up there for the hulls, the
fine woods for the finishing and the
trees for masts and spars cast their
shadows over the Sound itself. When
the waters of Idaho shall be utilized
1t will become one Of the first among
agricultural states. It agricultural
land is measured simply by millions
Of acres, and everything that growsin
the Temperate Zone will grow here
in p~rofusion. With its wealth of
soil, few regions offer SO many ad-
yantages to men who have their own
fortunes to carve out. Montana is
the foremost of Mining Territories; it
will always be the foremost grazing
region of the whole Republic, while
its agricultural possibilities are des-
tined to cut no mean figure. We sus-
pect that in the near future Alaska
will attract a vast amount Of atten-
ton. Last month from one mine,
$4,000 ID gold was shipped to San
Francisco, and those who have e1plor-
ed the mine say it is good for fifty
years work at least. A summer voy-
age up there is one Of the most de-
1ightful that can be imagined. 1t is
an cea voyage of several days with
but one possibility of a storm. Some
of the scenery is most sublime. It is
a queer experience when men can
look from a ships deck upon a gla-
cier in full flow only a gun shot away.
When In Los Angeles the residents
will be lolllng in their hammocks I'M
der their orange groves, too lazy to
think, almost too indolent to breathe,
all that Northern region viii be ring
ing with the FORCES and the hammers
and looms Of industry. And when
the Nation shall need soldiers, from
that busy Northern hiveawill pour
forth thousands and tens of thons-
ands, who, with a little polish in the
friction Of war, will be the equals Of
any men who ever rallied round a flag,
or led a forlorn hope.
RIEL's counsel are now finding a
great deal Of difficulty in raising
funds to enable them to carry the
case tn ENGLAND The s~yn1Dathy of