Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-04-24
THE GOVERNORS INTERVIEW.

road matters with much interest, and
we are very glad to know that he j.
ia favor OF the Montana Central L. K.
We cannot understand. however. why
Gov. Iiauser IN via~ Of this openly
declared friendship for the Montana
Central. should not have thrown bis
powerful influence ia behalf Of that
company during the past few weeks,
whom the Northern Pacific Il. L. Go.
YER trying to compel them 10 With
draw from the field. It is barely pos
sible the Governor was not as friendly
to the Droadwater syndicate d few
weeks ago as he now IS, and we shall
look with much interest for the favor
and good viii to which he IS commit
ted towards the Montana Central IL
its course Of construction,
AS between the Montana Central
road to Great Falls, and a branch OF
| the Northern Pacific 10 Fort Benton,
| The Governor believes the Northern
Pacific branch would benefit the Ter
| ritory and Helena more, because the
| Interest of the Montana Central is III
the Great Falls City and Water Pow
er c., while the interest Of the North
err Pacific Co being under a Mon
tana organization" would be more IN
Helena. This argument however,
would seem to lose its force if it ever
had any, when the Governor goes on
to state that the OWNERSHIP and CON
TROLLING POWER of the Benton branch
will be in the Northern
Pacific Co" and that mon resi-
dent capitalists do not build rail roads
as PUBLIC BENEFACToRs." Ii it were
true that the Montana Central Go.
having its road to Great Falls, would
not benefit Helena as much as q
Northern Pacific branch to Benton, 1t
is hard to understand how the IERRI-
TORY would be benefited more by the
Northern Pacific branch. 1t is posi-
BILE that directors Of the Northern Pa
cifc Co. may be SO much,interested IN
mining and real estate enterprises, IN
and near Helena, that the interest OF
that company and the interest Of the
rest Of Montana are Of secondary I'M
portance as compared with Helena
and its immediate surroundings.
Be that as it may, we aver, and we
believe we reflect the sentiment Of
the intelligent people OF Montana, that
q rail read from Helena to Benton
would not benefit the Territory Of
Montana more than the Montana Cen
tral from Helena tQEGreat Falls
built as it will be, by a new company.
Gov. Hauser states that nine
tenths Of the syndicate Of capitalists
who are building the Montana Central
are owners Of Great Falls City and the
| water power. and that it is for their
interest to make Great Falls the
great central and manufacturing point
"a city at which there are to b large
reduction works drawing ores from
all other points" 1t is simply alb
surd foI any man to state that the
building up Of a great industrial cen
ter at the Falls Of the Missouri, and
its connection by rail with Helena,
will not contribute to say the least, as
much to the prosperity Of the whole
Territory as a branch Of the Nortlern
Pacific from Helena to Benton. Vi
all the rail road companies on the CON
tinent, the Northern Pacific would
benefit the Territory the least, by
owning or controlling the branch from
Helena to Benton. The Helena mer-
chant would still be as he now is, at
the mercy Of one railroad company,
for nonresident capitalists are not
public b~enefactors. It would not be
for the interest Of the Northern Pa
cific to take eastern goods to Helena
by the river route, and lose the long
railroad haul. and this Gov. Hauser
very we'll knows. Neither would it be
for the interest Of the Northern Paci-
fc to foster and maintain the naviga-
ton of the Missouri river to Benton,
on the contrary, they would do what
one of its prominent officials once
stated they would do if they built to
Benton-DRY UP H STEAMBOAT Bust
NESS, and this they could easily do, by
making a small cut on rates for two
or three months. On the contrary,
any other rail road company connec-
ting Helena and Benton would make
common cause with the steamboat
interests, thus affording an indepen-
dent line from the east to Helena, and
maintaining the prestige of Benton as
the head of navigation. Anything
that would tend to weaken or destroy
the navigation interests of the Mis-
souri, river to Benton, would be a ca
amnity instead of a benefit to Mon
tana; for If there is any interest to
which our Territory is indebted more