The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-22
AND MONTANA.
The Financier Says We Do Not Need
More Mines Nor More
Railroads.
E1---- ------T- - 100000 SNEI
But Money Spent In Irrigation I'M
tsrprises Will Return Many
Hundred Fold.
Ysars-A Talk Pm the Silver
Question.

Ut ID not more silver mines nor ID IT moro
railroads that Montana most needs to-day,
but II 10 more irrigation" 80 said Henry
Willard to an INDEPENDENT reporter last
Evening.
Mr.. Willard arrived in Helena yesterday
afternoon. coming over from Butte on the
Montana Central. He was accompanied by
Mrs. Willard and Chief Engineer McKsn-
Iiriek. Agent Langley aud superintendent
johnson, Of the Montana Central, Agent
Edgar, Of the Northern Pacific, and
Superintendent Ramsay, of the Rocky
Mountain division, met the party and
accompanied it to Helena. The run from
Butte to this city broke the record, being
made in two hours and seventeen minutes,
hrss minutes faster han the best previous
lime over that line. Four stops were made.
Dns engine and two ears made up the train.
Vsry few knew Mr.. Willard would be in
Helena, so there was no reception. Imms-
lately ON arriving q carriage was taken
knd Mr.. and Mrs. Willard were driven over
he west and cast sides. Arriving in the
BUSINESS portion Of tho city. they left
he carriage, and strolled down Broad
way and Main street, taking
n the sights in "a leisurely
ray, not a dozen people among the hun
lreds who met them having any idea that
he mar through whose energy the Northern
oacifo railroad was completed was within q
housand milss of Helena. At dusk they
sturned to their car at the Northern Pa
iao depot, and there it was, in his private
a., after dinner, that Mr.. Willard was
ound. He was as genial and apparently
rec from care as though he had never
manipulated = big railroad deal. or did not
have N plans for the future beyond look
AZ over the country. But he has, and he
aid. too, that it was of great interest to
dontaua, and would be more to the advan-
age of the state than ANYTHING he had yet
one.
II an very much impressed with the sub
Eantisl way Helena is building up" he
aid during the course of 4 long talk.
There has been a great change for the
ettsr since my last visit. and this applies
OF only to the business district, but also
, the residence portions. 1t il tho best
uilt and most prosperous looking city Of
9 class | have seen on the trip.
about the Castle road?" Mr.. Willard
nus echoed a question by the interviewer.
A committee put the same question to me
Livingston yesterday" he continued.
Don't YOU think a little healthy compsti-
OF between Helena and Livingston on she
astle road would be q good thing9" Mr..
lizard asked. II told the Livingston
Pad, then show me that the net earnings
ere five per cont. I would buy it
ON them, and allow them to
axe 10 per cent. profit on the
l.. I make the same proposition to Hell
ia, though ~ Helena is richer I think she
-SrIl ~ ~. tro -r- ~-AxlE 4.@,rr hNnn ~ Tn.tv N
low net earnings of nix per cent. l do not
now as to building any new branches in
ontann very soon, but / am going to do
Pmething for Montana that will benefit
n more than building branch lines. Now
n want me to tell you what it is, don't
pa? Well, I won't do it now. but you are
young man, and if l live long enough, and
believe l will, and you live. you will ac-
lowlsdge later that the statement I have
at made is literally true. And you won't
a very old man, either.
The other day when I was in st. Paul
g newspaper men called on me together.
thankad them for their thoughtfulness,
Q questions they wanted me to answer.
hen they had finished pumping me, I
rned to them and said: The most i'm
(rtant question you have not asked
ney inquired what it was, but l would not
81 Thorn. Later they discovered to what I
AoTTeO Wueu i mhO0 b pubic duOEe06s
~, You have asked not asked me q very
pportant question. and that is how do I
and on silverp But I will tell you, any
". am a'ranlk monometalist. ] would
. one of the best-informed and most
dent advocates of free silver coinage to
ow me what benefit Montana a. a whole.
any individual in it, has derived from
Q piling up in the treasury at Washington
mountains OF silver. And if tho silver men
ep on with the coinage, it only means the
owth of the mountain, you can not force
ople to take it. The government has
ed to get it into general circulation, but
ono wants to carry around. or will, for
yer does not help the poor, either, be-
nse whatever profit there Is in it goes to
B rich. The great issues in the prssiden-
fight next year will be the tariff and sill
!, / hope sometime. and before very
,G. to meet some of your free coinage
n here, and when l do I would like to
+ o the silver question with them.
YER mines, nor is it more railroads that
Pntana most needs to-day, but it il more
igation. Take all the mineral states
l%ifornia. Colorado and Utah-it is the
Felopment Of their agricultural resources
q has and is making them wealthy and
erless as a mineral producer, but when
, develops her agricultural resources, ~
y are capable Of being developed,
re is no telling how popu-
q, wealthy and great the way
tome. Ten million dollars put into irri-
lion enterprises, in the next ten years
uld do verify marvellous things. When
IT representatives in congress- see ar APP
Ppriation in the river and harbor bill to
prove the Yellowstone let them have it
Fcken out, and make a strong effort to
70 congress make a decent appropriation
irrigation purposes in it's stead. You
find in the future that Montana's
pr, the products of her ranges and
ches, will give wealth to more, comfort
. homes to more, and employment to
re than all her mines. Montana ia great
natural resources. Take advantage Of
Of these: not Of the mineral wealth alone
Of the ranch soil as we'll, which only
DIS water to make it as productive as
in the country, and my word for 1t, the
roads, main lines and branches, will
ne as rapidly as you need them"
ome reference was made during the talk
he Montana sapphires. Nj. Willard ven-
ed the opinion that the industry would :
Fly become quite a considerable one. ,
yor kleinsohMidt had shown Mr.. and {
,. Willard some out sapphirss while they
o uptown, II the latter was quite en-
siastio in praise of them when the sub
was brought mp. !
7 eight o'clock the special. consisting of !,
Pc cars n an engine. having o. board
ides Mr.. and Mrs. Willard Sn%perintend-
Ramsay and Chief Engineer Kendriok,
ed out. To-day tho Cnur d'Alene
nch will be inspected, and then. return
to Missonla. the journey to the coast
be continued. Mr.. Willard expects 10
hrn in about ten days.