Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-03-25
IMPROVEMENT IN
FARM LIFE SUGGESTED

FARM LIFE SUGGESTED
Montana is on the eve of All agri-
cultural development never surpassed
BY any state even i'm the rich Middle
West" saws former senator Paris
Gibson. The rapid transition from
pastoral to agricultural conditions.
Only recently begun in the state. will
receive it's greatest impulse during
the coming decade. In this ten year
period upon which we are about to
enter. nearly all tie acres that cal, be
cultivated with and without irriga-
ton. from the Dakotas west to the
Rocky mountains. will become the
property OF farmers. and pastoral
stock growing will. like the buffalo
herds, become a matter Of history IN
Montana. Charley Russell, the COW
boy artist. not long since fOreshadow-
cd to friend the approaching situa-
ton in the following characteristic
lines:
"liere's to the day of the open range
When the grass that God planted was
free.
\n there wasn't fence from the
Mexican Gulf
North to the Attic Sea.
But there amt no use kickin'. Wal
lace,
TIL cow mans had his day.
The nesters here. with his fence
and plow-
An it looks like he's here to stay"
The settlement of this Inland En-
pire by farmers will be more rapid
than that of any other western state in
the past, for the following reasons:
First. Montana, of all the northwest
ern states, until recently was looked
uponasa country UNFIT for agriculture
except in very limited sense, but
now that it has come suddenly into
the lime light as region of extra
ordinary resources for general farm
ing, emigrants from many parts of
the civilized world are making haste
to establish homes upon it's land.
Second, the great advance Of land
values during the last half of the
decade, now drawing to a close. has
created All eagerness OIL the part of
hOmeseekers never before known, to
get land and to establish homes upon
it at once. Third, the population OF
the United States, now fully ninety
million, and the excellent railway
facilities for reaching every part OF
Montana will, independent of the
tide of foreign immigration now flow
ing to the far west cause our remain
ing government lands to be taken
long before the close Of the coming
decade.
Ii agriculture is the sole fOunda-
ton OH which the wealth and prosper
ity OF every state must rest and the
source from which our greatest hui
man achievements will ever proceed,
then surely we may have high hopes
for the speedy upbuilding Of resource
full Montana. The state today is Of
fering the greatest Inducements, so
far as soil and climate are concerned,
to the men who will make their homes
OH it's farm lands. Our mountain
ranges constitute an ineNhaustable
storehouse of useful minerals. while
our foothills and tablelands are large
ly underlaid with coal. We have an
abundant water power in our noun
! tain streams which can be transmitted
and employed wherever our common
minerals can be assembled to the best
advantage. These mineral resources,
so lavishly bestowed upon Montana,
point unerringly t" the time when
! large forces of men will find employ
ment here in IL long chain u. indus
! tries.
We say to the farmers, who are
now locating on Montana lands. you
will not be compelled to ship the
diversified products Of your farm tn
distant markets, rs there will he Il
home demand for practically every
thing your farms will produce. Farm.
ing and manufacturing in Montana;
must inevitable become allied inter.
psts and the success Of one will ht
largely dependent upon the other
Obstacles now in the way OF mpbuild
ing many and varied industries here
will be swept aside before its Onwart
march of progress and development
now taking place in the inter-mOul,
tain country.