The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-10-23
wYOMING'S PLEA.
GOV. Warren says the Territory IL Ready
for and Wan statehood

GOV Warren says the Territory IL Ready
for and Wan statehood.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22.-Francis Z. War
rem. governor of Wyoming territory has
filed with the secretary of the interior re-
mort for the year ended June 30, 1889. The
population of the territory is estimated at
5000 10 05.OOO, against 9,llS in 1870. The
people Of Wyoming" says the governor
''want statehood. The men who have
braved all the perils of pioneer life have
laid broad and deep the foundations OF fu-
ture homes, towns and cities. and have
treasured up the means tina, uphold COM
monwealths, are not unmindful ot the al
yantaqes of a state government. Although
the present administration has greatly re-
lieved the situation by appointing terrific
rial officers from bona hde residents OF the
territory wherein they are TO serve yet the
people know from past experience what II Is
10 live under a territorial form of govern
ment by strangers, with little or no knowl-
edge of the territory and indifferent 10 its
future growth and prosperity.
The assessed valuation OF All property III
1888 was $3l ,43l 600 against Ss51O,OD IN
1880. and $6,924,0O0 in 1870. These state
ments. the governor says, do not represent
more than one-third, probably not more
than one-fourth. the actual valuation. The
financial standing of Wyoming. the report
states, is high. Bonds of the territory bear
inc 6 per cent. interest were sold at l26 pre-
mimi. and territorial warrants are always
al par and promptly paid when presented,
'fhe governor urges upon congress- the
adoption of a more liberal policy in the
matter Of surveying public lands. The
inability of settler TO obtain legal right
10 the land selected by him for home, II IL
stated. worked a three-fold lnlury-nrst. 10
the government. which receives no pay Tor
the land; next To the county ana territory
which deri'e q no revenue from il; lastly TO
the settler. who can obtain no title To the
land. is hazarding his improvements, which
are of no value 10 him in commercial
sense. as he can neither sell nor mort
gage them. Moreover, the tracts
OF unsurveyed land which are
yaluable for other purposes than
agriculture, the immense oil fields and coal
beds and the vast forests of vnluable TIM
ber are vet unsurvcyed. In its present un-
known condition il is impossible 10 pfotect
the forests against the depredations OF
unscrupulous men and the development OF
the coal and oil lands is retarded by the
imppssibility Of surveying them under the
present restrictions. The aggregate NUM-
ber of acres disposed of during the last
year under the public land laws. including
selections by railroads was 3Ol .3I2."
Upon the subject of stock raising, the
governor SAYS: Good profits can he made
| in the cattle business to-day II properly
conducted, and the encouraging feature
of the business is that stock
men are adopting better methods
of management. A reasonable increase IN
the price Of the cattle product, which II
sure 10 come soon. will make cattle raising
in Wyoming one of the most lucrative IN.
dustries known anywhere The settlement
of farmers and grnngers upon agricultural
lands has caused division IN the area OF
open country. but there yet remains wide
field for the business conducted in the open
range way on every large tract that can b'
used for grazing only for many years
While the contraction of open ranges anC
the decrease in the animals handled IN th'
old way has necessarily lessened the cattle
industry in Wyoming the last few years
vet il is believed ultimately stock farming
or the combining of agriculture and stock
raising will greatly increase"