The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-12-22
WOULD MAKE
new STATES
SUBSTANCE OF ANOTHER DREAM
FROM THE WEST.
WANT SLICE OF MONTANA
Western Counties to Be Grated Onto
Idaho Panhandle with Some
from Washington.

Once more the state makers are
busy revising the map and could they
have their way no fewer than three
new commonwealth would be formed.
AS they would cut off part from Nor,
tana in the formation of one of the
new states the matter is of local inter-
est to those who now and then are
heard to express themselves in favor
of a division. The trouble is that
the divisionists are working along
lines that would still permit eastern
Montana to remain part of the orig.
inal state, hence it is not very likely
that the move will receive any very
serious or earnest support from the
people on this side of the main range
of the Rockies. What many over
here would like to see is a-state carv-
ed from Montana in such way as
to sunder all relations and connec-
tions with the west side and leave the
litigeous miners and politicians over
there to fight it out among them
selves. Tlfis is dream, however,
that will never become a reality, much
as it is desired by majority OF the
"cow countless" who have grown
wearied and disgusted with existing
conditions.
The present agitation has it's 10.
cality in Idaho and those keeping it
alive want the states of Oregon, Ida
no, Washington and Montana sliced
up. Both Lewiston, Idaho, and Spo-
kane, Wash, are helping it along all
they can, for each already sees the
prospective honor of being the capt.
tai looming up. The Portland Ore
gonian's Lewiston correspondent has
collated the talk and gossip into an
article as follows:
ut will not be at all surprising ii
the agitation for new state in this
neck of the woods is taken up soon.
In fact, the desirability for seat
of government for the accommodation
of large area of country between
central Idaho and British Columbia
and extending east and west accord
ing to the notions of different individ.
uals, is often talked of, and, accord
ing to men from different sections
! of the territory mentioned, will one
/, of these days be live subject.
"'There is Idaho, with her panhan.
die sticking up between Washington
and Montana like sore thumb, and
! it may as we'll be Topped Off, says one.
1 AS a matter of fact, the five northern
counties of Idaho are effectively cut
off from the capital at Boise by the
mountains of central Idaho. 10 60
| from this point to Boise, one must
start in the opposite direction and
travel a whole day before changing
his course in the direction of his in
/ tended destination. BY either the
Northern Pacific or the o. R. & N
route one must go to Pendleton, Ore.
| to get start.
"Under these conditions the ordi
nary citizen is not kept in close touch
with the city where his laws are made
and outside of those called to the
capital on official business, the peo
1 pie of northern Idaho are perhaps
| as familiar with the streets of Sa1
Francisco and St. Paul as with those
of Boise.
"The people of eastern Washington
are likewise lacking in familiarity
with their capital at Olympia. An ex
member of the Oregon legislature
speaking of the present political di
visions of the country, maintains the
entire original Oregon territory SHOULD
be redivided by extending the boun
Diary line between Oregon and south
ern Idaho, and make state of eastern
Oregon and southern Idaho, another
of eastern Washington and northern
Idaho, while Oregon and Washington
are restricted to the territory west O
4 the Cascade mountains"
According to the report there is
man in Montana who would like t.
see western Montana cut off from thu
parent body and grated onto Idaho
the new state to take in portion O
} Washington and part of eastern Ore
gon. This is what the writer in th'