Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-05-28
STRENGTH IN UNION

j ne Importance OF the MISSOURI
Slope and the western part of the
state as a political entity-the re-
suits that can be achieved if the
Slope stands together, and demands
the proper representation that the
Slope should have, in the senate of
the United States, and in the selec-
ton of other state officers, is we'll
pointed out in a recent article by a
correspondent of the Minneapolis
Journal, who says:
1.-THE size of the vote in the west
ern part Of the state and how it will
be cast are matters of great interest
to the candidates for Office The
immigration to the western part of
the state has been heavy for FIVE or
six years. What were only cattle
ranges in the late nineties are now
covered with homesteaders' cabins,
and the business Of cattle raising
will soon become obsolete. Five
new counties have been created out
of unorganized territory west of the
Missouri river in three years-the
counties of Adams, Hettinger, Bow
man, Dunn and Mckenzie. Five
years ago there was nothing in Nc
Kenzie county, or the territory now
included by it, but few scattering
ranchers, some strustlers'' and bands
of range cattle, deer and antelope.
1t is estimated that Mckenzie coun-
ty will cast 1900 to 1000 votes at
the coming election enough to off
set the vote of one of the fair-sized
Red river valley counties
The same relative growth is true
of the other counties, which have
been organized year or so. Two
years ago many of these homestead
ers were not yet voters. At the
coming election they will have been
in the state long enough to be elect
ors, and their votes will be cast at
the primary election.
There has been no census taken
of these counties since their organ
ization, and the figures of probable
population are only estimates. Some
figures which show the growth are
given by local observers who have
had to do with the development Of
the country. Senator L. A. Simp-
son, who has represented Stark
county in the legislature for many
years, says that the town of Hetting-
er, which was established Oct. "a,
last, has population of 700. Twen-
ty-one. new buildings were counted
in course of construction there last
week. Is ~ *. b
There has been tremendous in
f1ux of settlers along the Milwaukee
line, through Adams and Bowman
counties. Hettingers county, which
is as yet off a railroad, has total
population Of 1000 or 5000 and will
rival in two or three years the pop
ulation of some of the valley coun-
ties which it has taken twenty-five
years to acquire.
Quinn and Bowman counties also
show remarkable growth. Morton
county, has possibly doubled in pop
ulation in the past few years. II
had nineteen delegates at the Repub-
lican state convention as against
twenty-five for Cass county, and
twenty-four for Ward
Ward county, which few years
ago was wilderness of range grass
now is the largest county in the
state in point of population. Nor.
ton is only a little smaller thar
Cass and Ward in point of Republi
can votes. Mclean county had al
so nineteen votes.
There is no question but the bal
ance of political power in the STATE
lies now in the western half, If i
is cast at all solidly. The valley Il
split up politically. Cass and Rich
land counties had pronounced Stal
wart delegations at the Minot con
i vention. Grand Forks and Trail hat
as pronounced Insurgent delegations
Nelson was divided between Sta-
warts and Insurgents. Pembina wa
Stalwart
with these counties promising t,
split their votes in the primaries
the western counties have only t,
stand together and swing the result
as they did in the convention, wIer
los Stalwart delegates from tn,
Missouri Slope country formed tn
nucleus of the successful combina
ton.
"a few years ago and the politica
1 spellbinders were confining much o
their attention to the eastern part o
the state. Now they are turnin
their batteries on the west end, TO
| it is realized that the western par
Of the state has the deciding vote
An instance of growth may be take
/ in the new judicial districts bein
established. Formerly all the cour
try west of the Missouri river wa
in the Sixth judicial district, wit
four counties east of the river. MOI
4 there are two districts and the conn
ties west of the river will elect thei
own Judge at the coming election
The four counties east of TIL
river, Burleigh, Kidder, Emmon
and Mclean, now comprise the Sixt
district. ss
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OPENING OF RESERVATION
LANDS
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