The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1886-04-07
OUR FRoNTTERsMEN.

Editor OF the River Press:
One would think, by some OF the arti-
cles going the rounds of the press, that
frontiersmen were about as dishonest and
desperate a class as could be easily found,
with no gentlemanly or honorable attri-
hard return for men who have imperiled
life and limb, who have borne hardships
and privations, that the very ones Who
now accuse them o. dishonesty may reap
the benefit of their courage and energy.
Why should they be more ready Or apt to
take, any dishonest advantage in fulfilling
government contracts, especially with In
dias, than others? Instead, they have
every reason to be the heopposite. If the
lIndians are lily provided for they (the
frontiersmen) are the ones who are mostly
affected by it. When, two years ago, the
Piegan Indians were starving, the frontier
stores and the frontiersmen were first be-
sieged by them for help; and when call
was made on the people Of the territory
for assistance for them, the old frontiers.
men were the first to respond to it.
Many of the most respected merchants
of the territory now doing business in
some of our largest towns are old from
tiersrnen. Does their long course of pros
perity, the esteem they command from all
who know them, go for nothing, that some
eastern garbler must needs set them down
as dishonest? Take fronriersmen as a rule
and where will you find more honorable
class of men? Tt is only when some gang.
of eastern thieves and scoundrels come
sneaking around after night, not daring
to show their cowardly heads by daylight,
that the frontiersman is obliged to lock
his cabin and stable Or the miner to watch
his sluice boxes.
The frontiersman has been taught hon
esty i'm q severe schoOl-one where proven
dishonesty, OF. even suspicious character,
was, a very few years ago, almost a sure
passage to the other world via stout rope
and handy tree. / said frontiersmen
were taught honesty, but with very few
few exceptions the lessons were not need
ed, for none but honest men could be from
tiersmen. Many of these are now engaged
in business in our cities, some are still on
the frontier, but wherever they may be
honesty is one Of their well known traits
of character.
| When first the frontiersmen began to
settle up the country their only fear Of
theft was from some wandering band Of
Indians, but at last the scum of civiliza-
tion, always following in his footsteps, too
cowardly to face the dangers but ever
ready to grasp all the benefits of frontier
life, crowded on him, only to bedriyen
away, leaving, however, some OF their
mud clinging to the frontiersman's skirts.
AS these Wretches were driven out honest
and industrious settlers slowly filled their
places. do not know whether any from
tiersman wants any contrasts or not, but
it is rather rough that some contemplate
eastern outfits, to further their own selfish
plans, should accuse of dishonesty lot of
men whose situation has rendered it abso-.
lutely necessary that honesty should be
their WatchWord.
That they may be, as general rule ad-
dicted to some bad habits cannot be de-
MED, but that this necessitates their being
dishonest is a fallaey; and as for their be-
ing rough-Well, if we had to depend on
Let of dudes to open up our frontiers, I
fear Montana would no: be on the verge of
statehood to-day; butthat they are desper-
ADDE'S, or that their characters or lives war
rant any such accusations, is doing class
of brave naen a foul injustice. They are
simply men who. have been and are en-
gagged in a hazardous, dangerous occupa-
ton, and who often are obliged to choose
between losing their own lives or taking
another's. Their work is one of constant
exposure, hardship and fatigue, with none
of the softening influences of civilization
Can it be wondered at il they are rough,
their conversation not quite as fluent or
their hands not as soft (though their hearts
are far more warm and generous) as the
impudent coxcomb who sits in his Iuxu-
rious apartment in some far eastern city, |
and holds up his hands in we'll bred dis
dain of those horrid frontiersmen?',
KANAPsA.
The Washington Territory Bill.
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