The Western news., 1902-05-07
SENATOR 0lBsON's REPLY.

SENATOR OlBSON'S REPLY.
At the recent meeting of the North
Montana Roundup Association at
Helena NJ. E. Miner, a cattle man, IN
troduced and the association adopted
the following resolution:
We view with surprise the lack of
fairness aud intelligence that is dis
played by some men in public life and
by some newspapers in the discussion
of the public land question. In our
opinion very little will ever be added
to the wealth of the state except by
the further development of its miner
al and live stock resources. To invite
large immigration to engage in
farming will result IN crowding the
live stock industry where it will not
be remunerative in proportion to the
increasing risk.
Senator Paris Gibson, who has al
ways been an ardent advocate of hold
ing the public lands for actual set
tiers, has replied to Mr.. Miner, and
his reply will receive the hearty en-
dorsement of every citizen of Mon
tana who wants to see this state take
its place among the greatest of the
union Senator Gibson says:
l dislike to believe that Mr.. Miner
was really in earnest when he made
this statement, for if his convictions
are correct he can have no hope that
Montana will take its place among
the great states of the union, for its
greatness and its continued progress
must come not only from its common
and precious minerals, but from its
agriculture, in the successful dovel
opment OF which there is practically
no limit. It is impossible to fix the
boundaries of our farm production
when much of the water that falls up
on our mountain rapges is diverted
from it's accustomed channels and is
carried over the tablelands, pralries
aud valleys of our state. Does any
one doubt that this reclamation of
our rich arid lands will take place9
Surely no thoughtful person can
doubt that every square foot of irrig-
uble land in Montana will be reclaim
ed and that upon these lands vast
numbers of people will establish
homes. The population of our coun-
try, now SO,OOO,OOO, will be at least
l25, 100000 Is or 30 years hence.
Where is this surplus population to
establish homes, if not upon the now
pastoral lands of the Rocky Mountain
country? The men who maintain
their large and widespread herds up
} on the public domains must in the
march of empire give way to its set.
Element by people seeking homes
The livestock men of the arid regions
are among the ablest and most in
tellectual men in the far west and are
fully entitled to the success which
they have achieved; but no one car
deny that they should now be willing
to yield to the requirements of citi-
zens who desire to make their homes
upon the land. No one knows bette
l than Mr.. Miner that Montana canno
become great IN population ant
wealth while depending upon its min
ing business which for a long time t.
come will exceed its present proper
tions. We have in Nevada, who's
= population is less than the city o
i Butte; shining example of wha
8 mining and stockgrowing alone vii
n do in building up state. Mr.. Mil
ner says ito invite large immigra
: ton to engage in farming will resul
a in crowding the livestock industr
= where it will not be remunerative i
f proportion to the increase in risk.
y This statement is true; and he ca
depend upon it the farming interest
of Montana will from time to tim
' forward steadily increase and tn
extent of pastoral livestock bushes
in our state will from this time bt
come less and less. When the farm
!. ers get possession of what are no
:, exclusively grazing lands and begi
to cultivate them with the aid of i
. rigation, there will be ten times 8