The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-07
ABOUT DIVISION.

NJ 1t may be a long time coming. but
sometime or other the talk that is
now heard concerning a division of
the state will chrystalize and assume
the form of a concrete act. When
that time the movement will
be for a north and south dividing
line. Political Is we'll as social and
economic reasons will be advanced
for such a division.
terest is existent between the people
of the eastern and western portions
of the state analysis will show that
this is really not the case, except in
solar as sentiment and patriotic pride
constitute interest of a communal
sort. With the exception of a small
area the new state west of the divid-
ing line would be strictly a mining
region, while the one to the S
would be almost exclusively devoted
to husbandry and it's kindred occu-
pations of grazing and stock farming.
Each would find legislation for it's
respective industries, the predominant
ing ones, comparatively easy. There
would not be the clash of interests,
and the many vexatious questions in
volving the enactment of laws that
would fit conditions on one side with
out manifest injury or detriment to
the other, which now confront the
Legislature at every recurring session
would be done away with. AS all
know, laws that are just and equitable
in their application as regards a min.
ing community are often unjust and
oppressive when sought to be applied
r~aisers. The same can also be sad
of the reverse side. This industrial
difference is responsible for many of
the unsatisfactory laws that now find
place OF the statutes of the state and
for the legal hardships occasionally
complained of by residents of both
sections.
Socially there is almost absolutely
no sympathetic bond between the
two localities. The ways of the min
er are. never the ways of the mar
who farms or herds, neither are the
customs, nor ideas Of the
~husbandman and stockman those of
the one who makes the extraction Of
ores and minerals his occupation.
Both are widely divergent in all of
these and while they may tolerate one
another and meet on friendly terms
each other, the genuine spirit of fra
ternity is lacking and as speedily as
possible each seeks the congeniality
of association that he finds only in
those of his own vocation.
Above all, however, there is that
%undeniable feeling of dissatisfaction
and discomfort that obtains in east
ern Montana and which truth compels
it to be said is responsible for all the
agitation as regards division that
is now going OF in this part, for as
yet nothing has been heard in the
same direction from the west side.
The people who dwell on farms and
the stock raisers nave grown tired of
existing conditions. They are emf
nently a peace loving people and have
no time for the interminable and
acrimonious contentious and quarrels
continually heard of on the west side.
They have long ago wearied of the
battles of the m%illionaires and cor
porations and would be gladly rid of
both, not because they are million
aires or corporations, but because of
the chain of strife and factional diff
ferences their presence entails upon
| them. They have old fashioned no.
l tons of judicial purity and legislative
and judicial functions. In their opin-
5 on the majority should be permitted
| to rule in fact as we'll as in theory