National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-06

Responsibility.
The following communication has been
addressed to the House committee on ter
ritories by Delegate Toole, Of Montana;
To THE COMMITTEE on TERRITORIES, L.
y. SENATE-GcHticmeH: In support of SEN
ate bill No. -, for the admission of the
state OF Montana into the Union, submit
the following statement OF pertinent facts:
The territory was organized in 1864,
since which time we have advanced steadi.
ly In material resources and prosperity.
Our record as an economic and law abiding
community will compare favorably with
any of the states. We are out OF debt
and on the highway to permanent great
ness We are old enough, rich enough,
and numerically strong enough TO assume
this new responsibility, as will DO seen from
the following reliable data;
PUBLIC LANDS.
Statistics furnished by the United States
surveyor general of the territory show that
Montana has an area OF 143,176 square
miles, and contains ~, 016,000 acres of land.
OF this about 20, 900 900 acres are agricul-
tural lands, 50,000O00 grazing lands, and
the rest timber, mineral, aud mountainous
lands, nearly all the last three named pro-
ducing fine grasses.
The total assessed value of property for
the year 1884 was S40Ti6,2Gs. This does
not embrace the great mining properties Of
the territory, which are exempt from taxa
ton.
II does not embrace $50 miles Of railroad
OF the Northern Pacific Railroad Company,
which by act OF Congress is exempted from
taxation sin the territories but which
will be taxable when Montana is admitted.
II does 90,5OO,00O acres OF land included
within the land grant Of said railroad COM
pany in Montana, which has never contrib.
uted dollar TO the revenue Of that terri
tory.
The present assessed value of property is
$40 T46, 26S91. Add to this $50 miles of
railroad, at 5000 per mile, 100000,
and 20, 500, 600 acres OF land at the moder-
ate rate OF $l.25 per ace, $25,625,0O0
and have a total assessable property of
so Al ,26S01.
MINERAL RESOURCES AND EXPORTS.
1t is now demonstrated that there are inn
mense and inexhaustible coal fields In Mon
tana. They are now furnishing our supply
of coal, an item Of great Importance when
you consider the demand created by reduc-
ton works, smelters, &c.
GOLD, SILVER, AND COPPER.
Mining for these metals has become per-
manent, practical, and legitimate business.
AS an evidence OF the magnitude of this
business, quote the following from the
report OF Gov. s. Il. Ilauser, made to the
honorable Secretary Of the Interior on Oct.
!, 1885, which gives the most reliable In
formation attainable relating to that sub
ject for the year Immediately preceding:
Gold was discovered in small quantities in
1861, but none TO speak OF until 1862, when
mining commenced in earnest and on large
scale, drawing people here from every state In
the Union and from almost every country.
For ten years the average yield Of gold from
placer diggings' was Sl2,OO0,0OO TO Sl5OOJ,OOO
per annum This class of mines, being of easy
access and requiring no capital, were rapidly
exhausted. As they gave out gold and silver
quartz mining was commenced which required
capital as well as muscle, and was at first slow
in Development. Ten years ago the yield from
quartz mining was not over SlO00,0O0 per
annum; now 4 Is, as stated, about S2l ,0O0,0 900.
Our mines employ thousands of men
the best paid labor in the world-and make
home market for our farmefs. thereby insuring
profitable cultivation and settlement of the
country. II is fair TO say that grazing cattle,
sheep. and horse raising do not depend upon
the successful working of our mines; but the
grazing capacity of the territory Is limited, and
the tendency Is for cattle to accumulate In the
large herds can be handled at less cost per
| head than small ones Hence, If this was the
only, occupation our population would be
mines has hardly commenced, they produced,
as already shown, In the past twelve months
SO 10000.
EXPORTS.
While there are no statistics giving the
exact exports, yet, through the railroad COM
panies, cattle and sheep organizations, min
ing companies reports, Sc., 1t can be ap-
proXimated very closely.
Mr.. Harrison, United States assayer aud
secretary OF one of our largest cattle asso-
Citations, has assisted Inc In making Tie fol-
lowing estimate Of exports for the past
twelve months:
Silver gross value at l0j...,........ $4,000 900
Copper, gross value at IL cens..... 100000
Cold gross value. 100000
Lead, gross value at / cen.s."....,.. 10000
Beef cattle. 5000 head, gross value. d5OO,OOg
Wool, 5000 600 pounds..",,,.,.,...u" 100000
pGltrlCS and uTs,..,",,,,,.",.,,.,..., 10000
Total gross value of cXports.......o SO, 10000
RAILROADS.
The Northern Pacific railroad traverses
the territory from east to west, having $50
miles of railroad (maln line in the territory.
| II has two branches, one the Park Branch,
connecting II with the Yellowstone National
| Park the other the Wicker Branch, con
| Meeting Helena, Mont, with the town of
Wicker and surrounding mining country.
| The Utah and Northern railroad gives us
| connection with the Union Pacific railroad
at Ogden and the Oregon short line at Po-
catello.
BANKING HOUSES AND NEWSPAPERS.
There are in the territory twenty eight
| banking houses and thirty.one newspapers.
School houses and churches are everywhere
| to be found.
CLIMATE AND RESOURCES.
The following extract from an address
submitted to the people Of the territory by
committee appointed by the late constitu-
tional convention Of Montana touching the
climate and resources Of the territory is of
interest,
We have within Montana all the elements
| OF solid and enduring wealth: climate, for
health vigor and real enjoyment unsurpassed
on the face of the globe; an area of country
nearly as, large as the New England states;
mines which are today the most prolific in
the world; our facilities for raising live stock
most eheaply, but with great profit, are un.
equalcd, and are attracting the stockmcn
throughout the states; our soil is rich and won.
deriully productive OF all the nccessarles OF
| and many of the luXurGs of life; Our school
| and mail facilities are excellent tens of thou.
| sands of live stock are now being driven from
| the states TO Montana MS profitable enterprise;
| manuiactnrcs are increasing Our towns and
| cities are building; railroads traverse the ter
| ritOfy from different directions; the cOmpensa
ton for labor Is liberal; these ana other con
| sidcrations are now conducting to bring settlers
| in great numbers and capital In large amounts
| within our territorial limits.
POPULATION.
No census has been taken since 1850, at
which time the population was 80, 100.
Since then we can only approximate from
the vote cast for delegate TO Congress
In isS0 total vote polled wns....',"."""" l,lS2
In iS II ".., ..,,,. n I,s,
Upon the basis Of four inhabitants to the
voter this would give a population in No
vcmber, 1854, Of lO7,S10. And II the
increase in 1855 was at the same ratio as In
1884 the population in November 1885,
would he ll5,1S3.
The bill providing for our admission is
fair and in accordance with precedence;
endows us with a liberal donation Of public
land, in addition to that now provided by
! Iow for Cd t,,trpnpae fphr a,,sti