, 1889-03-12
WYOMIkG'S RESOURCES
Ex-Governor Baxter Interviewed
by a Denver Reporter.
The Advantages of the Territory
Generally Discussed.
Political GossIp---Some of the
A~spirants.


Wyoming people all agree upon one
thing. " said ex Governor George w. Bax-
ter of Cheyenne, who was found at the
Albany last evening, and that is that
the territory should be admitted as a state
by 1890. There are now 90, 900 people,
putting it fairly, ia Wyoming. The area
of the territory Is great enough for two
states. 1t has coal enough to keep all the
fires in the West going for 1000 years.
The oil is such that Denver capitalists
have been reaching out after it as well as
those of Omaha and in the East. In the
Iron mountain and Platte river districts
are vast deposits Of iron ore. Copper
abounds in a dozen localities, noticeably
twenty miles northwest of Cheyenne and
south of the North Platte river, about $50
miles from Cheyenne. There are immense
banks of soda, and great fields of timber,
particularly in the northwestern portion OF
the territory.
There is a mistake about one thing 10
the minds of people outside of Wyoming
generally" continued MIR. Baxter, ''and
that is the amount of arabic lands. The
arabic sections of Wyoming are larger in
area than supposed and the number of
people who are obtaining excellent
crops without irrigation is ~increas-
ing rapidly. Heretofore the raising
of stock has absorbed the attention of
the ranchmen, and they have not until
within the past two years given any seri-
Gus thought TO raising much beyond a few
garden vegetables and good grass. Now
they are looking TO oats and wheat and
ayan aarn NTH ootnns,l,nu ro,,1., III
water supply is as large as in any West
ern area. The trouble has been with its
utilization. First come, first served, has
been the motto, and if a man took out a
ditch first on a creek he made it as big as
he could, opened it wide for all seasons of
the year, and the necessities of his neigh
Dor who might come in later for a share
of the irrigation the stream would afford
we're not thought Of. That is being grad
ually regulated by the courts and in a year
or Two the many streams that are tributary
to the Platte. Big Laramie, Sweetwater,
Big Horn and Powder rivers. as well as
those large streams themselves, will be
supplying hundreds of thousands of acres,
that only need water to produce the big
gest kind of crops"
How about federal appointments"
was asked.
Mr.. Baxter bit off the end of a cigar
and smiled. The federal appointment
business is a somewhat sensitive spot
with him. When President Cleveland
was ~inaugurated there arose from among
the Democrats of the Gem territory about
100 aspirants for about ten offices worth
having. The gubernatorial chair was oc-
cupied by Hon. Francis Il. Warren. Del
egations from Wyoming sought the presi-
| lapt and asEaH for tho annpintnnant &c
this one and that one to fill the hand
somely upholstered Russian, leather
backed chair in which the territory's ex-
eculive sat. All previous governors had,
fguratively speaking, carried the majesty
of the %pardonlng and appointive power
around in their hats. But Governor
Warren fitted up his offices in luxurious
style and kept a cutglass decanter and Il
box of cigars where visitors could find the
key. In many other ways the Office of
governor began to havea materially about
it, and the people looked upon il as a do
nestle institution.
1t was about this time that President
Cleveland had determined to rescue the
broad acres of succulent grass from the
clutches OF the octopus like cattle kings
and he had set his face sternly against
every mar who had a fence around a
square rod which he hadn't a patent for.
1t became necessary to displace Warren,
and the whispered insinuation that some
of his sheep roamed over the public do
main was enough. OFF came his head.
The appointment of Mr.. Baxter, through
some home influence. but more from
Tennessee, followed forthwith. Hon.
Morton Il. Post, a delegate in congress
for two terms. had been urged strenuous
ly, but he had a few odd sections of land
he didn't own fenced in, and that was an
insurmOuntable objection to him. Gov
ernor Baxter held the office thirty days or
thereabouts. The president had removed
Warren for fencing government land, he
had refused to support Post because the
latter had fenced government land, and
when it was shown that Mr.. Baxter was
something of a gay and festive iencer
himself, the head of the nation had but
one thing to do. His axe described one
full swoop, and again the people of the
territory were without a head. Mr..
Cleveland appointed Thomas Moonlight
of Kansas shortly afterward, and the lat
ter has succeeded in making nearly every
resident of the territory wonder what
they have done to deserve it.
So 1t was that Mr.. Baxter smiled
grimlY as he lit his chcroot. But he said:
Neli L nave Always RraZed In the
Democratic pasture, and 50 have to look
over the fence at the gentlemen who are
crowding up to the government gate. It's
rather amusing, too. There are a dozen
applicants for nearly every office. For
governor, Warren and Morgan are chiefly
spoken about. Warren made an excellent
record while he was governor before. and
is a great big, brainy, pushing man. II it
were lett to the citizens of the territory
he would be elected by a large majority.
Yet, | I'm surprised to see that Morgan
has seemingly captured a good many of
the smaller outside papers. Col. Rabbit
was talked of three months ago, but |
hardly think his business interests will al
low him to seek the Office"
The Morgan to whom Mr.. Baxter re-
tered is the Hon. Il. s. N. Morgan, who
was secretary of the territory for over
six years.
Another candidate who would make a