The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-04-04
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1906.
A GREAT YEAR FOR MONTANA.

GREAT YEAR FOR MONTANA.
1t is the confident belief of many
we'll posted authorities that the pres
nj year will witness q large addition
to the citizenship Of Montana. From
various parts of the state comes news
of the arrival of homeseekers who
propose to identify themselves with
this commonwealth, and contribute
their share toward making Montana
one Of the greatest and most prosper
Gus states in the Union. These new
citizens are believed to be the advance
guard of thousands of others who
realize that opportunities for adj
vancement and the. rewards of labor
are greater in Montana than Ia any
Other part Of the United States.
The expectation that a large influx
of settlers will locate in Montana this
season., and that their numbers will
increase from year to year. is justified
by a review Of the situation. Nearly
all the desirable lands east and west
of US have been appropriated, and
older communities farm values have
reached a point where the crops pro.
duced yield a meager return upon the
money invested and the labor expend-
ed upon them. They are too valuable
for anything except the most profit
able branches of agriculture. The
population Of the country, by reason
Of a healthy birth rate, is increasing
rapidly, and each Of the looming men
Of America inherits from his ances.
tors a hunger for land that must be
satisfied. a further addition to the
population, and one that has grown
in recent years at q tremendous rate,
consists of arrivals from foreign
countries, most of whom become Am.
erican citizens and assist in the grand
and patriotic work of making the
United States the leader in the pro-
cession of nations. These arrivals
from foreign shores reached the rec
ord number of Over a million persons
last year, and advices from the ports
Of entry indicate fully as large a food
of immigr alton this season.
Many Of these foreign born citizens
have as keen a desire for a homestead
Of their as the native Americans,
and propose to satisfy that ambition
At the earliest opportunity. This land
hunger, wherever it exists, q an
active demand for land in localities
where desirable property can be oh.
tanned, and Montana can offer more
Of it and Of better quality than any
other field.
The railroads, which have been the
great colonization agencies of recent
times, are at last giving attention to
Montana, and their efforts promise to
work most important results. They
have populated the Dakotas, Wash.
ington and Oregon, and have induced
many thousands to try their luck In
Northwest Territory. 1t was q bust
ness proposition with the railroads;
the location of settlers on vacant
lands means more traffic for the
railroads, and while this motive was
back of their great and successful
home.seekers' campaigns it also re.
suited in developing the of
those sessions to which settlers were
attr acted.
The railroads are Interested in
securing a larger population for Mon.
tana, because it will make more bust
ness for them. The reclamation work
undertaken by the government Is
largely due to the railroads, which
subscribed many thousands OF dollars
to demonstrate that government irri-
cation is a matter Of national import.
auce and benefit, aud they expect to
get profitable returns from the money
thus invested. The reclamation OF
huuureds of thousands Of acres OF
new farms and farmers, each Of whom
will make more business for the trans
portation companies and add to the
wealth Of the state.
Montana welcomes the new arrival:
as prospective members of her increas
ing family of prosperous and pro
gressive citizens. To the frugal ant
Industrious is offered oppOrtunitie'
that cannot be found elsewhere, and
those who take advantage Of them viii
meet with reward beyond their hes
expectations.
HELENA, March 29.-The commits