Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-22
THE DEVELOPMENT or THE WEST.

AiOA VI SAG itcICS VI tulS great SPctlOI
of the continent. Thousands of plans
have been formulated, thousands of
jchemes devised. wherewith to bring
about the full f%ruition Of our aspirations
to be great. There has never been any
question as to the magnitude and diver
sity of our resources, and no ore has ever
raised an intelligent doubt as to the pos
sibilities of the west when it has an OPP
portunity to pay tribute to the restless
energies Of the world.
But at every fork of the road leading
from possibility to realization. the west
is met by the solemn fact that it is def
Gent in one of tho most potential ele-
ments of strength that ever contributed
to the greatness of n country. The
weakness of the west is it's deficiency in
votes. In all other respects it is strong.
1t cannot be said that the business in
terests of the east and the west are in all
respects identical. SO long as the east
can furnish the funds necessary for the
development of western enterprises, and
reap the profits that accrue therefrom.j just
so long will its superior voting power be
used to secure Legislation that will pre-
vent the financial independence Of the
west.
Quite naturally, the east has no desire
to see the west develop a population that
would rob it Of its political power. with the
commercial and industrial advantages
that would follow in its wake. Hence, the
west is compelled to meet many obstacles
to it's development in the way of rational
legislation, that the seat of political pow
er may not be transferred from the east.
To overcome this, population is needed.
But how to secure population is the prob
lem. 1t is clear that eastern influences
are constantly eXerted to prevent people
from locating in the west. No one can
read the eastern press. especially the ag-
ricultural papers, without feeling the
force of this effort to dissuade those who
contemplate leaving their eastern homes
to begin life anew unde the rays Of the
setting SUM-. Influences of this type. in
SllGillC ~ IN -"
interest has given birth, are hard to over
come for they are widespread and univer-
sal. Individual effort is almost poWerless
to remove them, and the growth of thu
west in point of population is remarkably
slow when measured by the opportunitie:
presented and the possibilities in store.
The west must take advantage of con
ditions that arise in order to meet tn
question of population in an intelligen
manner. 1t must be equal to the oppor
tunities which circumstances may throw
i'm it's way. The west will never becom
great, in the sense that it will acquire tn
requisite voting strength to shape ma
tional affairs along the lines of its ow.
interests, as the east has successful,
done, SO long as it depends upon the or
binary sources of immigration. 1t is upo.
=, .14l viii net alone invite capt
tai to this section, but which will max
capital seek it's own interests by comini
here in preference to investment else
where, that will ripen the west into tn
fullness Of power.
Not until the Pacific coast line shaI
have become as great a theater of &C
tivity as the Atlantic coast line-not unit
the Pacific ocean becomes a commerce.
~thoroughfare as great as the Atlantic
not until the star of empire throws it
lustre upon the placid waves of the west
ern ean-wi the west become trul
great. When that time shall come, tn
Rocky mountain region, and from theme
to the Pacific coast, will TEEN with pop
ulation responsive to the industrial an
commercial enterprise of the west. TIL
voting strength of the country will lie i
the west. and the land of the setting su
will 10 longer pay ribute to Caesar"
To achieve this destiny, SO "devoutl
to be wished for,'' to ripen into the splen
o of a prophetic growth, the west mus
recognize its opportunity in the spirit c
commercial and industrial expansion
which promises to transfer to the ives
h activities Of a great nation. The an
nexation Of Hawaii and the pacificatio
OF the Philippines. involving commercia
opportunities Of a. high order. hold GU
10 the west ali the inducements whic