The tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1890, 1890-04-02
ATTRACT SETTLERS TO MONTANA
Hon. Paris Gibson Gives Timely SugseI
tions ON the Matter.

Hon. Paris Gibson Gives Timely Sugges.
lions on the Matter.
The traveller passing through these sec
tions of Montana t~raversed by her rail-
road lines can form no idea whatever Of
her agricultural capacity, for the simple
reason that as a matter of economy IN
building, the railroad follows those dis
tricts of country which are best adapted
to carry 1t through and owe the noun
tains at the least expense, without partic-
ular reference to the character of the
country through which 1t passes. Hence
it is that the traveller upon either of our
great lines of railroad finds 80 little in the
appearance or character of the country
through which he passes to excite either
his curiosity or interest. He is driven
over arid plains, dragged through deep
canyons, switchbacked owe mountains,
runs through dismal tunnels-ln fact sees
nothing but the most forbidden prospect
on every side. And so, finding nothing
inviting here, he passes on as rapidly as
steam can propel him, until he reaches
the end of his route, which usually
terminate at Portland, Oregon, or at
some n Of the ports on Puget Sound.
1t is mainly owing to this fact that
the settlement of Montana has been SO
slow as compared to that of her neigh
bors further west. Then, too, Wash
ington and Oregon have each their state
boards of immigration, whose duty it Is
to render the newcomer every facility for
information while In search for a home
stead. He is taken into the interior of
the country, shown its valleys and table
lands, and every inducement held outthat
will encourage him to become q resident,
But with US it is different. We have no
state board of immigration. None of our
beautiful and fertile valleys or table lands
are ever shown to or discovered by the
immigrant, who is allowed to pass through
our state with the impressions of the
country formed from what he sees on
either side the line of railroad he travels
over. This should not be: With q eli
mate far superior in salubrity to that of
either Washington or Oregon; with val
leys surprising in richness Of soil, water
and timber any contained within their
borders, with vast ranges for stock which
they DO not possess at all, it only requires
an intelligent course of action on the part
of her citizens in each county to stay the
flood of immigration that is daily passing
aross her borders to people and enrich
nelghboring states which possess but q
1.-THE of her natural advantages.
was much interested in the foregoing
editorial from the Rising Sun. Like the
other states west of U.S., we should have a
state board of immigration, composed of
broad-minded men who have some knowl.
edge and appreciation of our
With the exception of the Great Northern
company, the other railway companies
that extend into Montana have done lit
tie or nothing in advertising our resour-
ces. In order to get the long haul, the
Northern Pacific has advertised the re-
sources of Oregon and Washington to an
extraordinary degree, while Montana has
been given the go-by. If our leading cit
liens would become better informed as
to the extraordinary of north
ern Montana for maintaining a large and
thrifty population, they would not quietly
see the tide of immigration flowing to the
west of us and into a country much less
favorable than this.
When riding on the cars today, l was
asked by an eastern gentleman if this was
q good dairy country. l replied that l
it the best country for that
business l had ever seen. We have about
$4,000 square miles of mountainous coun- ,
try; and near the base of each range of
mountains are the finest grass and the
purest water; also, a soil that will pro-
luce the cereals and vegetables abund-
antly. Now, Se should not only produce
butter and cheese sufficient for our own
state, but we should, at no distant time,
export largely. l do not believe there is
my other state in the union where agri-
culture and stock growing can be carried
IN together as probably as in Montana;
nd yet, our state is known generally
throughout the east as a purely mining
nd pastoral country. The press of Mon
ana should take up these matters and
lever let them rest until our advantages
re thoroughly advertised among home
eekers. PARIS GIBSON.