Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-07-05
EDITORIAL LETTER.

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right among them. Coming in from
the plains and standing in the presenc'
of these silent witnesses off nature
grandeur one feels like taking of hi
hat to them. To the left the roaC
plunges into canyon leading up t.
Yellowstone Park. We kept to tn,
right passing Bozeman and through
the beautiful valley of the Gallatin
These celebrated valleys are not sc
wonderful in themselves, but are beau
tiful and rich in comparison with the
surrounding country. While the noun
tains and plains constitute grand seen
cry, as an agricultural REGION they are
a failure. But this valley mostly irri
gated, blooms with bountiful crops.
Passing down the valley we come to
the three forks of the Missouri river.
Here is where Lewis and Clark, in 1904,
in exploring this country, couldn't tell
which of the three was the largest
stream, so dropped the name Missouri
and named the rivers Jefferson, Madi,
son and Gallatin after the president
and two leading members of his cabi-
net. History says they were enraptured
with the beauty of this valley, surround,
ed as it was by snow-covered noun
tains.
Although we have been going up
most of the time since leaving Fargo,
now we begin to climb in earnest,
another engine being put on. 1t is the
Rocky Mountain range that confronts
our progress. The train twists and the
wheels creak as for miles we slowly
wind our way up the mountain sides.
Now we cross a trestle 226 feet high
and look down on little farms in the
valley below and observe the buildings
look like play things. Now we notice
the air begins to lack little in that
satisfying quality that fills and substa-
ms the lungs. Here we see some OF
natures big masonry, tremendous
blocks of stone reared up on edge and
placed in every grotesque way, as If
hooking at rules and playing pranks
with it's ponderous forces and materials.
At last at an elevation above the sea
of about two miles we enter long
tunnel and when we come out we are
where the waters run to the Pacific,
Then commences rapid down grade
run of several miles. Soon we are in
sight of Butte. The view obtained o.
this city and of surrounding valleys
form distance is wonderful.
Butte is the greatest exclusively
mining and smelling city in the United
States. 1t claims 10000 people and
its industries along these two lines are
very great. Copper is the chef pro-
Gucs though some silver and gold are
obtained. The city is on a mountain
side and has mines and shelters al
around it. The poisonous fumes from
the big smelters keep the grass, trees
and Vegetation dead, while the smoke
and dust add to the discomfort. The
city is unattractive except as being
curious. People live there to Obtain
employment and to make money. o.
course the city now has modern con
veniences and life there is more tolera
BILE than formerly. Law and order arr
we'll enforced and the place hardl,
deserves it's reputation as a wide oper
town. 1t is no worse than many othel
cities of it's size in the country. 3d..
North west of Butte few miles il
Anaconda, city of IL, 900 people. Thu
is almost exclusively smelling city
1t has the greatest copper refineries il
the world. Thousands of tons of cop
per ore go through these smelters eacL
day. The city is practically owned by
the Anaconda company. They have
company stores and require their EN-
ployes to trade with them. They owr
the houses and rent them to the mel
who work for them, and so practically
get everything. The noted DAILY is q
chief stakeholder and the manager Of
the Anaconda properties. Mr.. Clark,
would-be senator, is the chief capitalist
of Butte. Their rivalry in busine IS
and in political way keep things from
becoming monotonous in Montana.
They are democrats and each tries to
down the other. First one succeeds
and then the other, while the republic
cans look on and ay''sic' en-" The dem
ocratic state convention was held the
day befor reached Butte and its echoes
were still in the hotel corridors. The
DAILY faction had the majority of the
state committee and put police Mt the
convention hall doors to keep out some
of the Clark contesting delegates. The
result was such hot time that the
Clark folks withdrew and two separate
conventions were held and the Kansas
City convention will have nice con-
test to decide. Senator Clark heads
one delegation to the Kansas City con-
vention. Every democrat in Montana
seems to be warm adherent of one or
the other faction. One good result of
the fight is it helps to distribute the
wealth of these two magnates. They
spend their money lavishly when they