The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-21
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 IL ALSO 1ntended to Create
Prejudice In Holland Among In-
H4 tcnding Settlers

December 10 last the INDEPENDENT pub
lished q letter wcittan by Chas. A. Gregory,
OF Bozemun, 10 Gov. Touls, exposing the
efforts OF designing parties to retard immi-
grafton to Montana. The principal movers
in the affair are citizens of Iowa. Besides
answering the attacks of the enemies OF
the atats Mr.. Grecory'a letter contained
statements which, if brouehs to the attsn-
9ion OF intending settlers, ~5Hld %undoubt-
edly result in great bere . Montana.
The edition in which the .sr was origin
ally published has bean exhausted, and IN
quiries are still being received for copies.
To answer this demand. the letter ls repso-
lished. A largs number of extra copies is
printed and those who desire them to send
east can obtain them at this Office. The
letter ia as follows:
Hon. J.. K. Tools, Governor Of Montana
Dear Sir: By letters received from the east
learn that efforts are being made to mis-
represent Montana in regard to its climate,
its agricultural opportunities and advan-
tages, and it's pastoral uses, and its inhabi-
liability. Such MISREPRESENTATION, if made
from ignorance or design, are unfortunate,
and if made by design to mislsad persons
who wish to come to this state to make
their living here, are mischievous and IN
~pardonable. An editor engaged in libeling
a state is grossly abusing his powers and
ms poslt1on. u IL KnoWn maj an lnseress
is awakened in Holland as to this state, Ms
a place where wealth follows work. On
our part, We know what valuable citizens
Holland farmers are. We know them to be
sturdy, honest, thrifty q antell1gont men
and women, and the best of citizens whom
placed under conditions Of climate and
~orl sp;taa "a tha r.tnra az r.on1. az
~.
Aot1ne1A Earope' noll@nu ~ oset-Fop-
ulated, and 1t 10 nard there TO make ad-
vancement in wealth by manual labor
and in the cultivation Of tho soil. The in
telligencs of the H%ollandets teaches them
that no property is 80 valuable as fertile
asabls land, and they regard it az a blessing
to have pointed out to them opportunity OF
colony movement whers their true interest
is concerned and bsnevolence is the main
spring in such movement.
1t seems now that sons persons inter-
ested to divert attention from Montana to
some other part of the United States are
trying to prevent any immigration to Mon
tana. Their stock arguments are that
Montana is a great desert only; uninhabit-
. able; full OF now and Indians; that peo-
pie 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 freezing; that the state is the most
northerly of the northern states; hat cattle
there are in winter %perishing by thu thou
sands.
These propositions are zach and all I'M
true, except as to the geography. We can
not deny the geographical statement, but
We admit the fact and avoid the maliciouBly
a. rn4nrln1 fr DvoprNH Nh nrn ~ ithaca cko<a-
nlents is SO much founded on fact as to
imply q. shadow of a reason for avoiding
this state. 1t is we'll known that the isothsr-
NAL line Of this region is the same az that
of the most favored states of the United
States. This is the scientific denial of the
mischievous argument as to climate, but
the experience of the thousands of human
dwellegs here who find health, happiness
and prosperity and physical eomfort, and
mental quickening in u bright, sunny and
salubrious climate, is the incontestsble
denial. An evs,-humid climate makes
sluggish natures; a warm climate the year
round ensrvatss mans nature, and makes
him INDECENT. Here prevails a temperate
climate, q delight in summer. a charm in
the fall and early winter; an invigorating
and tenn perate winter of no severe duration,
with instances OF low condition of thsr-
mometsr, but by reason of dryness of tho
. air, the lowest temperature is shorn OF
half of its chilling effects on mans fselinos:
SO that Montana is enjoyed in ito cold
months as New England, the great lakes
region and owe are not. It has warmer
climate than Wisconsin, Minnesota or
Iowa.
In an arid region, where there ia little
precipitation of moisture. theoretically YOU
would not expect much snow, The adyo-
Gates who rlaoe 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 ia sparselv and
thinly and intermittently precipitated in
the agricultural regions of Montana. The
valleys know it as a welcome and a brief
abiding and spsedy-dspartine guest only.
The Japan watm-curronr winds take it M
in thsir soft embraces and dispel it in fer
tilizing moisture for the farms. Tho CHI
mute Of Montana 10 dry, bracinp and
hoalthfuI. The rainfall ia light, rendering
irrigation a necessary incident to %cnltiva.
ton in the greater portions of the state.
Much snow falls upon the mountains.
though upon the valleys and tne rolIIno
plains to the eastward, sufficient snow apl-
dom accumulstes to prevent prazino nf cat-