The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-10-04

Getting the workingmen on the
land was the theme of an address de-
livered last Saturday evening at the
court house by the Honorable George
H. Maxwell, the executive chairman
OF the National Irrigation association.
1 tMr. Maxwell spoke for two hours to
an audience composed mainly of busi-
ness men, and unfolded broad and
j comprehensive plan for the upbuild-
ing Of Montana and the placing OF
thousands of men upon it's fertile
lands, converting them from waste
deserts or great ranches into small
and intensively cultivated farms,
from which every owner would get his
living.
Is Only One Step.
After expressing his pleasure at be-
ing with them once more, Mr.. Max
well spoke of his first appearance in
the interest of national irrigation and
the great results that had speedily
followed initiation Of the great edu-
cational campaign in behalf of ma
tional irrigation. -Four years ago."
he said, mo city of the west did more
than Billings to secure the support of
the eastern business men to bring
about a sentiment among the 10000
600 people of the east who control the
vote of congress, favorable to the pas
sage of the national irrigation act.
That splendid piece of legislation is
only one step up the long ladder that
we must climb. I believe that the
time is ripe for great movement in
this country which cannot be carried
out through the agency of any of the
great political parties. believe that
the political parties very largely over
look the foundation conditions which
must be considered in order to lift
our people up to the right plane upon
which American citizenship should be
sustained.
An Unhealthy Condition.
''We see in the United States today
a population which for more than
generation has Deen drifting away
from the land and toward the cities,
where it has no roots in the soil, but
is dependent upon daily wage; and
we see the. controlling influences OF
the country becoming more fully con-
centrated into a condition OF vast ac-
cumulated wealth, in the hands OF
fewer men, from year to year; we see
in the great cities political machines
being created, so, that although we
talk of being democracy, we are
governed in reality by influences with
which we have very little to do.
where is the remedy? The old
parties really present none. The
populist party, though it promised,
has accomplished nothing. The So
cialist party is a growing influence
and one which, in my judgment, the
old parties will have to reckon with.
But, after all, the thought that comes
into the mind of every thinking man,
is that they are overlooking what lies
at their very 1eet, and we are aim
ing at vision in the rainbow.
Must Begin at Foundation.
I'VE must begin at the foundation
We cannot make a man by law; we
cannot supply food and clothes by
law. Another remedy is needed.
"Ninety-nine out of every hundred
children born in the United States
will, during their lives struggle for
nothing but to secure food and cloth
ing and shelter. Yet we would find
that at least one-third, and believe
more, of all the labor expended by the
human animal is absolutely waste la
Dor. The workingman believes that |
he must find place where he can |
trade his labor for money and go
with the money in his hand and buy |
food and shelter and clothing. Now.
this is wrong. The land is the source i
of all human wealth and Of all that |