The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-01-27
Development of Natural Resources Re-
tarded for Want of Mcn-Abua-
dant Food Products Should
BE Raised Here.
Necessity of a Class of Settlers who
Are Practica! Farmers . They
Must BE Brought West
from Other States.

One OF tne tO3StS at tnc recent ldrth-
ers' banquet at the Park hotel was I'm
migration was responded to in the fol-
lowing manner by j. A. MacKnight:
Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen of the
convention: 1t is too late to talk at
this time of night, as you are all think
ing Of 'immigrating' home no doubt.
But | think, before we al joLrn, we
should consider this subject of imml-
grafton for a few moments. We are, Il
good many of us. immigrants here our
selves. and We fully realize the import
ance Of having others come to inhabit
the lands Of this grand state. 1t is un-
questiOnably an empire in itself with all
the resources necessary to make 1t an in
depedent nation, Within the bound
aries of Montana alone we have every
thing of Il natural character to found an
empire. upon, and there is no reason
whatever why this state should not sup
port as many millions rs it has thous-
ands within it today in the days TO
come, and it probably will.
On the subject Of immigration, | think
that it would be well for this conven-
tons committee on Legislation to endcav
or to get the state to take some action
with regard to this matter. The great
states of the west have received their
immigration largely through efforts
made by "A regular immigration board,
or through other measures taken 10y the
state to encourage immigration. | have
been told toy a gentleman familiar with
the subject that the state of Minnesota
could never have been peoplcd today eX-
cept through the efforts of the immi-
grafton board and regular Immigration
agencies appointed by the state. Now
we may boast of u as long as
we choose in Montana. but unless we
have people to develope them, they
amount to very little. and there are
not enough of us Eere to-day to develop
them. These great iron deposits and
other deposits of minerals and other
of the state. the agricultural
and everything else that is here, will re
main dormant unless we have people to
develope them, and they can only be
brought here by extraordinary efforts
made by the state.
] would recommend that this com
mIttec take some action in that matter
before this legislature %adjourns, because
there will be two years before another
legislature, and in the meantime we have
the worlds fair. This worlds fair is 60
ing to attract tho attention of "A very
large number of people to the western
country, people who are thinking of max
ing a change and are uncertain where to
go. There is probably no spot on the
face Of the globe to which thousands of
them could go with more advantage than
to Montana. There are humber of
farmers in the eastern states who are liC-
ing out a miserable existence and they
have none of the magnificent opportunl-
ties of this state, and ! believe they
would come here by thousands with
their experience and capital and do IA
great deal towards building up this
state.
The matter is we'll worth considera.
ton, and | believe it is the opinion of "A
great many thinking men in Montana
that the state should take hold of it. that
it should organic a state board of immi-
grafton, put Its agencies in Chicago and
New York and other points whore immi-
grants accumulate.
We need Drawn and muscle in this
state. 1t is useless to talk of developing
these resources without them. The ad-
vantages to be received from immigra-
ton are almost ~incalrulablc. We might
talk about them all night without cX-
| haustIng the subject. and ! do not in
t'nd 10 speak more than Il few moment?
longer.
The greatest agricultural development
that has rccn made in the west has been
madc in the region the least promising
in the mountains. ! refer to the terri
tory of Utah. of which ! am Il native.
There We have an enormous agricultural
development. The people of course Hr-
rived there before there were any rail
roads. and they naturally had no other
opportunity 10 make Il living than 10y the
cultivation Of the soil. 1t WAS through
fears and circumstances that they set
themselves to cultivate the soil. and II
was through the food that they raised
| there that the miners of Montana were
able to exist at all. That is always adj
mitted 10y everybody familiar with the
subject.
In Montana it was exactly opposite,
In Montana the men began simply 70
produce minerals. The minerals wrr"
useful in themselves, but are not good
10 eat. You can buy Il great many
things with them Of course, If they are
in the country To bp had. but Montana
is sending all her metal out just as fast
as she produces il from the g%ruunu, to
bring m the food we are 80 eat. Incre-
fore We must turn our attention to ugIl-
culture; We must raise from the ground
the food We require in The state for our
own people. Us things are now, it is
impossible to Ito 50. As things are now.
mcn are thinking only Of mining, in
Great Fails and nearly CvcryWArr" else
in the state. Men have their minds set
simply on the question OF precious metals
and there are very few willing 10 give