The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-25
LETTER FROM MONTANA
fermer Indiana Editor Writes
From His New Home On a
Western Ranch.
Lewistown, Montana.

Lewistown, Montana.
TO the Editor
It has been a little more than year
since / turned a deaf ear to Indiana
pilitics, handed ove- to a younger
brother my Pulaski county newspaper,
sold my home upon the banks of the
Tippecanoe and with my family babe
my host Of good friends in Indiana
good-by, to join the legions of enthu-
siastic fasteners enroute for the vast
and boundless West, which in Indiana,
the pale of civilization.
For years / had experienced that
desire for larger ownership OF land,
which is inherent In the human breast.
For years l had read with avidity.
the Westward Ho" and the Back to
the Farm" articles which have occu-
pied so important place in our cur
rent literature In making the deci-
sion to cut loose from the old ties.
which had been so pleasant, and which
were in a measure, so satisfactory,
confess to a certain amount of dub
iousness, as I carefully investigated
the possibilities afforded in the differ
ent sections Of the West, until / visit
ed the Judith Basin in central Mon
tana. Then 1 became all enthusiasm.
After living here for more than year,
and identifying myself with this sec
ton Of the country, and having become
more closely acquainted with condi-
tfons and opportunities, congratulate
ed myself over and over again upon
my decision, and am more convinced
than ever that the valleys of central
Montana offer to the ambitious man of
the east, who possesses the habit of
industry, hundred opportunities in
whatsoever field he may desire to en-
gage, to every one he will meet with
there.
After determination to move
West ha .ecome public, was greatly
surprise. TO learn from friend after
friend, not only In the county where
/ had lived for eleven years, but from
state, that the western land germ
was even then working in other minds
than mine. Farmers, lawyers, physi-
clans, manufacturers, business and
professional men in all lines of work.
and many of them among the most
successful in their respective commu-
mites, were either seriously consider
ing moving West, or thinking of in
vesting in farm lands there, where
the rapid development of the country
often In short time doubles and
trebles the value of land. To many
OF these / promised to write later, as
I became better acquainted with the
country, and since coming here, I have
received many letters of inquiry. Be-
cause it il out OF the question to go
into al the interesting details regard
Ing the western country, in personal
letters to these friends. this letter
from q loyal Hoosier son is written
for publication giving a general view
OF this western country, and partic-
ulafiy Of this Jucith Basin in central
Montana
First let me correct q common mis-
apprehension regarding the climate
q Montana have lived here
through two winters, one Of which was
said by old settlers to have been more
severe than usual. We have more
snow here than in Indiana, and there
are periods Of short duration now and
thsn when the Temperature drops to
q lower mark than is ever reached in
Indiana. But these periods are infre-
quent, and because Of the high altitude
and rare atmosphere and the sunshine,
which is warmer than In the Central
states, one can do outdoor work here
without discomfort when the Their
nometer registers ten and even
twenty below zero, whereas In Indiana
Il IL impossible to do outdoor work in
soeo weather without suffering. In
cher worda - far a. one may Judge
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