Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-08-22
MONTANA PAYS HER WAY.

than you now have. (Applause)
MONTANA PAYS HER WAY.
While feel interested in the growth
OF Great Falls, am also interested in the
good government Of Montana. There il
no government-town, city, state or Unit
ed States-that excels the government OF
Montana. will say so, for I am war
ranted in so doing. No government is on
a firmer basis; 1t does not owe cent
This speaks well for those who have had
charge of the public affairs-for your
legislatures and officers who have SO at
tended to the interests of the territory as
to bear it successfully onward over the
wave Of time. This ought to convince
congressman that the people of Montana
are we'll able to take care of themselveS :.
And as for the people in general, they
are all in easy circumstances. There is
no cry of hard times. We have here the
finest agriculture land in the country
the finest grasses and the best stock rais-
ed in any part of the country. (Ap-
| plause.)
SCHOOL LANDS WITHHELD.
Let me also remark that there is no
subject concerns good men and women
more deeply than education. All the
states have school funds. One of them,
Texas, has S1S,OOO,O0O in cash or securi-
ties as its school fund, with lands worth
$9O,OOO,O00. The result is that people are
taxed lightly for school purposes Mon
tana is also entitled to school lands, but
she cannot possess them until she is in
vested with statehood. The result IS that
people have no alternative except to put
their hands in their pockets and pay the
school tax. 1t follows that the people of
Montana pay more money, per capita, for
school purposes than any other people in
the United States, but they pay it cheer
fully, for they love education, This cir
cumstance should also reach the ears of
congressman and convince them that you
are entitled to home government. Ap-
plause.
ANOTHER sIRONG POINT.
There are other considerations as tell
ing rs that. Illinois, for instance, is
great state, but sixty years ago she was
admitted to statehood with only 10000
people, while we have over 10000, with
larger area and greater resources. [Ap-
plause. @
Governor Leslie then referred to the
absence of crime and asserted that Mon
tana was more orderly, than any state in
the union. He continued:
OUR INDUSTRIAL. GROWTH.
There are other questions of moment
to which might refer. ] might take up
the industries that vitalize this common
wealth. Montana is'~nl,r Il. ,-.4 1u4aucy
in that respect Here you are collecting
for the Minneapolis exhibition,
large quantities of mineral specimens
which are obtained from only one of |
many mineral districts in your neighbor-
hood. Then there is Butte, the greatest |
mining camp in the world. Streams of |
wealth are, in fact, pouring from Mon
tana to all parts Of the country. amre-
liably informed that our gold and silver
production this year may exceed $3O,0OO,-
900, which proves that we are doing more
in that way than any other people on
American soil. Applause.] speak
thus, for every one ought to feel proud |
of his country. We have the right to |
boast of what we have and invite others |
to join us in good fellowship.
PEOPLE ARE COMING.
You will have this year great influx
of people and l am sure that many will |
come for the purpose of settling here.
Men of nearly all callings are coming.
Only recently 2s,OOO,O00 sores of land were
thrown open near you, in the northern |
which is, to large ex-
tent, equal to that in the Bitter Root or |
Gallatin valleys,
NOBLE MoNTANIANs.
cannot trust myself to speak of your
kindness lest I might seem extravagant |
I am truly gratified and honored by the
attention l have received everywhere
Never did people give more hearty CO.
operation; it is no labor to govern here |
Every one strives to help the governor;
no one places obstacles in his way. l |
shall always cherish this friendship, ard,
while here, will be for Montana first,
last and all the time. [Cheers.] come
from state which has been good to me-
A voice-Hurrah for old Kentucky.]
And would rank no state above her,
but am here to serve the people of Mon
tana in preference to all others. ZAP
plause.
CASCADE WILL PROSPER.
Never shall forget how vigilantly I
watched the progress of the Cascade
county bill through the legislature and |
how cheerfully l put my name to it.
There was some opposition. l don't CON-
plain OF that, but rejoice that you sue
ceeded, and am glad that your affairs are
so promising, for l am convinced yours
will be one of the greatest counties in
the territory. [Cheers.]
GENERAL NOTES.
The arrangements for the reception
were successfully carried out by Harry
Ringwald, the chairman OF the com
mittee.
Mr.. Paris Gibson and other leading cit
izens sat near the governor, who spoke in
Alderman Todd invited the governor to
visit Benton and he promised to do so.
When the governor alluded in his speech
to Cascade county the boys nudged Al
derman Todd, who had merry twinkle
in his eye.
"This will be great city; can mark
its growth better than the residents" said
Governor Leslie today in speaking with
Nv Maotov