Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-07-14
Returning Prosperity.


While the Democratic editors are
bowling about hard times, each
days news disproves the assertions
that there is no evidence of returning
more properly termed Popo-cratic,
cannot, however, be
blamed for attempting to make the
people believe that they are worse
off than they really are. Not one of
them but knows that a return of
prosperity will utterly destroy any
possible chance they might have had
OF electing a president in 1900. The
Republican party promised better
times and if their prophecy ia not full
filed their chances of carrying the
election three years hence would be
greatly lessened. But we r going
to have prosperity, in fact it has
already struck many localities and
in others the yeast is l~eavening.
The recent trip of the writer
afforded him opportunity of noting
conditions and talking with citizens
in his own state and in Utah and
Colorado. A prominent editor of
Butte and one high in the estimation
of his party associates throughout
the state, said that the pay roll was
greater in Butte today than it had
ever been before, that more men were
employed and payments easier than
for four years. According to it's
prominent citizens, times in Helena
are Frightening and we all know
that Helena has certainly received
as severe blows N any town in the
country.
The Independent OF July 18th con-
tanned interviews with two citizens
Of Helena concerning conditions in
Montana and abroad, which are
worthy of quotation i'm this connec-
ton.
Ebenezer Sharp, general agent oil
the New York Life Insurance Co. for
Montana, returned to Helena from a
| trip through the state in a better
frame of mind that he had expert.
enced for years. He said to a re.
porter:
"We have been croaking and sing
ing in a minor key SO long," he said
last evening, that every section q
| the state and almost every class o.
people have taken up the refrain
| But there have been changes going Oh
all the time that we have not noticed
~ chat IN nnn ahnud coll Nm
attention to. We are beginning tt
feel their effect gradually, and if W.
will take advantage of them we will
be as well off as any of them.
Il was talking with a bushes.
man the other day. He was crOak
ing along in h same old vein.
said to him: Did you ever stop tt
realize the condition of things a,
they exist to-day?' No. he said
Well said l, lets look at it another
light. S~eventy-five per cent of tn,
workingmen of the state are receiv
ing the same wages for the sam,
work they did five years ago, aren'f
they? And they arr getting theil
living expenses for GO per cent of wha'
they were then. That is one point.
Il have been talking with the sheeI
men all ove the state, and they fee
NCIy hiuNh SuSoutuSCts ahibt
six cents as the average price las
year, their prices this year are a
least 80 per cent better than the,
were then Mutton sheep are WORT
$1.50 n head more, and stock sheeI
to day are worth $1.25 more thar
they were worth a year ago to day
1.-The cattlemen are feeling bette
throughout the state. Their stOcl
cattle are worth this moment iron
81 to s. more than they were q yea
ago today. The expectation is nov
that good marketable beef will brini
n larger price this year than at an
time within three years.
"My friend was willing to admi
that he might havejudged too hastily
l believe that it Is safe to say that s
are better off to-day than they hav
been at an any time since 1892.
81 inquired of a large number {
merchants throughout h stat
while l was away from Helena an
l learned that all were making som
money, not as much as they Nigh
like TO make, perhaps, but q tina
they have been making, showing tina
times are growing better all the timt
I was down in Deer Lodge, where
rather expected the people would b
cast down owing to the treatmen
they have received over their count
seat and other reversals that hav
affected them in the past. Twas SUI
prised, therefore, when they said t
me: we havn't done as well in Sc,
eral years as we are doing to-day
Mr.. Sharp offers many other ev
dences of returning prosperity in hi
interview.
4. Ben Webster, clerk of the suprem
court, returned from a five week
trip through the east and said:
"While 1 did not spend any tim
studying sociology or business cOnd
tions," he said''I could not help bu
observe signs Of increasing prosper
ity on every hand. 1 think bushes
must be improving I'm the east. Tha
was the testimony of those VIII
know more about 1t than 1 do i
New York city, Buffalo, Detroit an
other eastern cities that 1 happene
to touch. While In New York, stock
advanced from five to eight point
and that in itself must be considere
one of the best Indications of bette
business conditions"
The general feeling of all wit
whom the writer came in contact o
his recent trip was that condition
were improving. Railroad agent
and conductors reported heavie
travel over their lines this sprin
than for several years and said the