The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1913-12-24
OFFICIAL PAPER OF cnOUrEAU COUNTY
WE'D D DEC. "a. 1918.
FUTURE PROSPECTS BRIGHT

It is the opinion of Senator T. j..
Walsh expressed in an article written
for the Anaconda Standard, that Mon
tana citizens may confidently expect
q continuance of prosperous condi.
lions in the Treasure ssate. The ar
ticle says in part:
The year 1914 approaches with the
amplest justification for a wide optim.
ism from a material standpoint as to
Montana. Unless some general bust
ness depression shall ensue, there is
every reason to look TOR a record
breaking year in the development of
industry in our state. abundant as.
surances come from those qualified
to speak as to the prospects national
ly, that business conditions are ex.
cellent, and that the industrial &C.
tivity which has characterized the
year now closing will continue.
A number of circumstances contri-
butte to make the outlook for Mon
tana particularly bright. The eyes of
the nation have been directed to-
ward the rapid development of u
agricultural and the demon
stration which has been made of the
possibility of indefinite expansion in
that line. People like to hear about
Montana. They are learning to know
of its rich promise, its enticing seem
cry and it's romantic history. The
very satisfactory crop returns from
Montana lands for the past season,
when destructive drouths prevailed in
many portions of the west, will tend
to bring settlers to the state in in
creased numbers during the ensuing
year. The rapidity with which the
appropriation of u tillable lands is
being effected is reflected in the fact
that for the first 10 months of the
year now closing 1888 homestead
filings on them were made. Practi-
cally every one of these filings rep
resents a man who has ambition, n
terprise, courage, a determination to
succeed, to build a home and to have
a part in building the state.
1t is to be hoped that the improved
financial conditions looked for upon
VlAC SCtIlOL1CnI VI Lux Jul CuSy HuCo-
ton may permit the prosecution of
railroad construction, which the pres
ent development amply justifes and
requires. The identification of the
Milwaukee will be watched with the
very keenest interest. Situated as we
are geographically, comparatively re.
mote from the great commercial en-
tiers, any improvement which tends to
reduce the cost of transportation is
of vital import to all u people.
When the freight rate on wheat to any
milling or shipping center is reduced
by a penny, a cent a bushel is added
to the wealth of the state, and the ag-
gregate of even SO small a reduction
is startlingly large. We are entitled
to share and will share with the rail.
roads in the saving that the substitu.
ton of electrical energy for steam
power will occasion in railroad oper.
alton.
It may be safely assumed that be.
fore the present session adjourns q
workable law will be enacted by con.
gress making available the great pow.
er sites on the public domain, so that
all lines in Montana will be able to
provide themselves with the cheaper
power which the rushing waters OF
our streams so abundantly afford.
Materially. the future of our state
is bright. What Of its advancement
Intellectually, morally, spiritually and
artistically? We are no longer q
frontier state, in the pioneer stage,
We must build the things that endure.
We cannot content ourselves with
merely physically progress. Our fame
must eventually rest on the kind Of
men we put out, not OF the number
of bushels of wheat or tons of copper
rn,0 av~nnk