The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-15
LYING ABOUT MONTANA.
Efforts are Being Made to Divert
Immigration from the
Fertile State.
A Plain Answer to the Attacks
Made by the Ignorant
or Designing.
Tho Movement Is Also Intended to Create
Prejudice In Holland Among In
tending Settlers.


tending Settlers.
Charles A. Gregory, Of Bohemian, hai
called the attention of Gov. Toole to mis-
representations which are being made
against the state. designed to prevent immi'
grafton hither. MIR. Gregory 10 eminently
qualified to anawer any such attacks, az
may be seen by his letter to the governor
which has been endorsed by prominent cit
liens of Bozeman, by the governor himself
and several state officers. Mr.. Gregory
writes:
Hon. j. X. Toole. Governor of Montana
Dear Sir: By letters received from the
east l learn that efforts are being made III
misrepresent Montana in regard to its eli
mate, its agricultural opportunities and ad-
vantages, and its pastoral uses, and it's in
habitability. Such Misrepresentation, if
made from ignorance or design, are unfor-
tunate, and il made by design TO mialead
kpersons who wish to come to this state to
make their living here, are mischievous and
objectionable. An editor engaged in libel
ing a state is grossly abusing his powers
and his position. It is known that an inter
est il awakened in Holland as this to state,
as q place where wealth follows work.
On our part, We know what val
liable citizens Holland farmers are. We
know them to be sturdy, honest, thrifty and
intelligent men and women, and the best of
citizens when placed under conditions of
climate and work suited to the nature Of
people of northern Europe. Holland is
o~ver-populated, and it is hard there to make
advancement in wealth by manual labor
and in the cultivation of the soil. The in
telligence of the Hollanders teaches them
that no property is SO valuable as fertile
arabic land, and they regard it as a blessing
to have pointed out to them opportunity of
colony movement where their true interest
is concerned and benevolence is the main
spring in such movement.
1t seems now that some persons inter
ested to divert attention from Montana to
some other part of the United States are try
ing to prevent any INN igration to Montana.
Their stock arguments are that Montana IS a
great desert only: uninhabitable; full of
snow and Indiana; that people cannot live
there; that they are not able to get enough
to keep them from starving; that there is
no fuel to be had to keep them from fire. ez-
ing; that the state is the most northerly of
the northern states; that cattle there are in
winter perishing by the thousands.
These propositions are each n all I'M
true, except as to the geography. We can
not deny the geographical statement. but
we admit the fact and avoid the maliciously
intended inference. No one of these state
ments is SO much founded on fact as to i'm
ply a shadow of a reason for avoiding this
state. It is we'll known that the isothermal
line of this region is the same with that of
the most favored states of the United States.
This is the scientific denial of the mis-
chievous argument as to climate, but the
experience of the thousands of human
dwellers here who find health, happiness
and prosperity and physical comfort. and
mental quickening in a bright, sunny and
salubrious climate, is the ncontestable de-
NAL. An over-humid climate makes slug
gish natures; a warm climate the year
round enervates mans natlre. and make
him indolent. Here prevails a temperate
climate. a delight in summer, a
charm in the fall and early win
winter of no severe duration, with instances
of low condition of thermometer, but by
reason of dryness of the air the low
est temperature is shorn of half of its chill
ing effects on mans feelings; SO that Mon
Jana is enjoyed in its cold months as New
England, the great lakes region and 10y
are not. 1t has a warmer climate han
Wisconsin, Minnesota or Iowa.
In an arid region, where there is little
precipitation of moisture, theoretically you
would not expect much snow. The advo-
Gates who place some other region in com
parison with Montana, in using the snow
bank argument to appear in a plausible at
titude, are unfortunate in having to reverse
the laws of nature. Snow is sparseIy and
thinly and intermittently precipitated in
the agricultural regions of Montana. The
valleys know it as a welcome and
a brief abiding and speedy-departing
guest only. The Japan warm-current
winds take it up in their soft embraces and
dispell 1T in fertilizlng moisture for the
farms. The climate of Montana is dry,
bracing and healthful. The rainfall is
light, rendering irrigation a necessary in
cident to cultivation in the greater portions
of the state. Much snow falls upon the
mountains, though upon the valleys and
the rolling plains to the eastward sufficient
snow seldom accumulates to prevent graz
ing of cattle. The thermometer rarely
rises above so degrees (Farenheit) in sum-
mer, and though for brief periods lndicat-
ing a very cold snap in winter. the average
yearly temperature is not below SO degrees.
Taken altogether it would be difficult to
find a country better adapted to the pursuits
requiring outdoor life, or more pleasing
in its effects upon people who love the
tonic of pure, dry air.
The Indian is made to play the role of a
scare-crow. If seen at all he is a curiosity.
l have never seen one in the Gallatin valley.
He is placed away upon government
reserves; he is SO sequestered from all the
region Of the abodes OF white citizens as
almost to be classed with the e~xtinguished
races or the departed buffalo. Thrift
marks all the mining regions and aRricul-
tural towns.
The state is growing rapidly in wealth.
II is inhabited by about 100000 people who
are hardy and industrious. New as it is in
the means of railroad travel; not ten years
yet penetrated by Il railroad; recent az ii is
in agricultural development, it has hives of
industry III mining camps and it has nu-
merous small towns and some rich cities
and large towns; some towns have attract
i've architecture and an active trade.
The Gallatin valley, Montana, U. s. A.,
lies in north latitude forty-five degrees and
forty-six degrees. Holland is in north lat
itude tifty-two degrees. The mean annual
temperature of the two regions, under COM
parison. does not differ. much. The crops
Of the Netherlands are, mainly: wheat, rye,
oats, buckwheat and barley. In Gallatin
valley tho chief crops are: wheat, rye, oats.
barleSS and hay.
The area of South Holland is l, 16G square
miles; that of north Holland is ], 07O square
miles; the aggregate population of these two
countries was, i'll 1887, 1.730.G $50. The city
of Hague has more population than all of
Montana. The population Of Holland is
about TIA to the square mile. But in Mon
tana there is elbow room and u chance to
get rich. While there is mora thar one
mar to the cultivated acre in Holland, there