The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-03-15
STATEMENTS ARE MISLEADING.
Western Labor Union on Efforts of
Railroads to Attract Settlers.

! While the railroad companies are
] and have been spending thousands and
I tens OF thousands of dollars i'm induce
! people in the east and middle west to
come TO the northwest and seek new
homes. the Western Labor Union is
| working just as strenuously. but not
| spending so much money, to prevent
the coming of men without means to
the northwest. The Western Labor
/ Union alleges that there are hundreds
OF thousands of idle men now in the
northwest looking and begging for
| work, and it also says there are not
the opportunities for farmers in this
country the railway officials al1ege.
These statements are set forth in q
circular issued March ., signed by
Daniel Mcdonald. president. and CIar-
ence Smith, secretary of the West
ern Labor Union The circular is ad-
dressed to "Homeseekers and Working
People in the East and Middle West
and reads IS follows.
The transportation companies, and
especially the Great Northern Railroad
company. is advertising extensively in
the eastern and middle western states,
for the purpose of inducing hOmeseek-
ers, settlers and working people to emf
CRATE to Montana. Idaho, Washington
and other northwestern states Inns
much as these advertisements are false
and misleading in character. and moth
ing less than criminal in their effect,
the Western Labor Union considers it q
duty to state briefly the real industrial
conditions in the wes- and northwest.
If the plain truth were known, there
would be no incentive for settlers.
homeseekers or working people to come
west 10 improve their conditions.
There is not Il desirable tract of un-
taken land in the northwest that will
not require hundreds, and in most cases
thousands, of dollars to make it pro-
ductive. The statement that the north
west is a boundless tract of rich, pro-
ductive and fruitful land open to set
tlement. and only awaiting the magic
touch of the poverty-stricken farmer
from the east to make it yield forth in
abundance all the best products OF the
farm, is just as false as it is we'll
sounding. If the railroad officials who
make these statements, and advertise
them, were given their just deserts.
they would be considered as criminals
and treated as such. Their advertise
ments will bring years of hardships.
priyation and suffering to those who
accept them as truth, and who come
west in the expectation Of securing
homes or employment.
I'VE have no desire to give a set
back to the development of our coun-
try's resources. These resources are
limitless-to men of capital But to the
farmer without means and the labore
ing man there is not the slightest in
ducement to come west.
In Butte. in the Cripple Greek dis
trict. in the Occur d'Aleues, in British
Columbia, on the Pacific coast, and in
the agricultural communities every
where in the west. there are hundreds
and thousands of idle men. IF the west
afforded such exceptional opportunities
to homeseekers, settlers and working
men. these able-bodied and Industrious
people would not be found in hundreds
and thousands begging for chance to
earn mere living.
DO not believe these fiattering state
ments about the west. They are DELHI
crate lies, malicious and criminal in eff
feet, and spread by the transportation
simply for the purpose of in
creasing the earnings of their roads.
To add a few greasy dollars to their
already large dividends, these railroad
are willing to take your last
money for tickets, and then leave you
perhaps with families) homeless and
without resources. in country already
1ver-run with idle labor.
DO not be deceived"