The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-19

Gov. X. b. Smith came TO BllllngS
Sunday on the belated Northern Pacific
train. he accompanying some of his
eastbound relatives to this point while
they were on their way home. The
governor was briefly interviewed by
the Times at the Grand shortly after
his arrival. the following being about
the trend of the conversation:
What shall / say for you, governor?
OF course you are out looking around
your 'patch?'"
well. no; not exactly that. The
ostensible object Of my visit to Billings
was to accompany some of my rela-
tives this far on their journey home,
but of course If happen to see post
that is little out of place shall mash
it a little and endeavor to make it
stand"
What are your impressions of the
forthcoming campaign
What do you mean? State or ma
tional?"
state"
why. bless your SOUL" enthusiast
cally responded the oracle of the true
Jetfersonian root, pulling his broad
brimmed hat away down on the back
of his head and clapping us on the
shoulder with his strong right hand,
I'VE have got them on the run, and we
are dead certain to keep them a-golng
until the close of the next campaign
some other good democrat heads the
ticket. The democratic ticket will car
ry the state next year by at least 10, 900
majority. There Is absolutely no doubt
about this / have been in the harness
about three years and am perfectly
familiar with the situation of affairs i'm
every section of the state, and we will
present an absolutely impregnable
front to the enemy at the proper time"
"Who will you have to beat to get
the nomination."
Well / hardly know yet. But 1t
will be Senator Hoffman of Gallatin, 1
think. He seems to carry more weight
than any one have yet heard spoken
Of"
How about Ex-Governor Toole of
Helena? Wouldn't he like further gu
bernatorial experience?"
mo, think not. We will send Toole
to the senate. We want good man
to succeed Tom Carter, and Toole is
one of the brainiest men, in my opinion,
there is in the state. The republican
party is as dead as Hector in Montana,
and the South is sending too many
good democrats out here for that party
to ever hope to see. daylight again"
who will the republicans put up?"
'Oh, Sanders" came in soft, reson-
ant tones from the governors lips,
"and he is a crusty old politician who
won't expect anything but defeat when
he goes into the campaign. He will
permit himself to be slaughtered in or
der to preserve the party organization
is the way he will speak Of his down
fall after it is all over"
How about national politics? Who
will be our next president? Bryan or
Mckinley"
well, I am not as. well posted on
national affairs as I ought to be and I
shouldn't like to venture an opinion
without a little preparation, but it is
my hope and belief that Bryan will
snow. Mckinley under at the next cleo
ton"
"who will the republicans run for
lieutenant GOVERNOR
"Of course I do not know who will
occupy second place on the state ticket,
but it is my impression that ex-Sena-
tor Babcock of your city has the inside
track for that position. At least that
is the prevalent impression in political
circles at the capital."
The governor was called on by every
prominent citizen in the city, irrespec-
tive of party, during his short stay
here, all of whom were anxious to take
part in making the visit of the distin-
guished gentleman as pleasant as pos
sibe while he was in Billings.
'S As an Agricultural State.
From the Rocky Mountain Husband
Now we are not egotistic enough to
claim that the Rocky Mountain Hus-
bandman has been the source of the
agricultural development of Montana
during the past "a years. but we do be-
lieve that 1t has led the way from a
primitive beginning to the grand
achievement and to some extent at
least made the way more easy. The
majority of the Montana people of to-
day have but a faint recollection of
Montana agriculture in the early '70s.
and of how 1t was regarded as pur-
suit in those pioneer days, and not a
few express surprise that even the
publishers of this paper should have
at SO early a date been willing to cast
their fortune upon SO slender a hope
as was presented by the agricultural
resources of this Rocky mountain
northwest. Many even regard the in
terest as Insignificant to-day and do
not understand the motive that inspired
the institution of this paper. Having
travelled over the vast expanse of coun-
try between the Mississippi and the
Rockies, the Red river of the north
and the Red river of the south, and
noted the possibilities wherever hus-
bandry even in a primitive way had
been applied, we were aware that the
producing ability of the country was
not appreciated. We had seen the long
strings of long-horned Texas cattle
stretching away over the trails to the
northward from the valley of Nueces
and the Rio Grande toward the north,
going to Abeline, Kan. to be shipped
TO Chicago and st. Louis, and we knew
that the Montana bovine could be made
his successful competitor in these mar
kets. We also became aware of how
the hills of California had been de-
nuded of their natural grasses and be-
come barren and worthless pastures,
while In Montana no amount of grazing
completely exhausted the range and we
felt assured that California must find
an outlet for her flocks on Montana