The Daily Missoulian., 1913-08-18
.bR|CKER AND CREW
ENJOY THE DAY
IN VALLEY
IN SPEECH HERE IMMIGRATION
AGENT SAYS MONTANA is IN
EVE OF hoMEsEEkER.

The Northern Pacific's immigration
men, headed by General Immigration
Agent Rricker. were in Missoula yes
terday and left last evening on No S.
The party left early yesterday morning
for Hamilton and came back down the
valley on the afternoon train They
We're met at Stevensville by repre-
sentatives of the chamber of com
merce and We're brought down to Mis-
soula by automobile. At $3.50 an in
formal dinner was served in the Palace
hotel grillroom that proved to be
very enjoyable affair Mr.. Bricker was
called upon to say few words in re-
gard to the trip and its purposes.
Bricker's Talk.
We are making this visit to Missoula
and points along the Northern Pacific
line for the purpose of becoming more
familiar with the territory served by
our road" said Mr.. Bricker we know
that communities in these western
states are changing with Kaleidoscope
rapidity and we are merely trying to
keep up with the procession Allow
me to say that l appreciate the action
Of your chamber of commerce in Civ
ing Us this opportunity TO see the Bit
ter Root valley as it cannot be viewed
from the train ! am safe in saving
that every one of us will go back to
his work with more thorough knoWl-
edge of this section of the country
and deeper conviction as to It's mer-
its. In regard to this, however, | must
say few words. Western Montana is
not unknown to US. Do not believe for
a minute that we are back there in
the east talking to people without hav-
ing knowledge Of what we are talk
ing about. But conditions are continu-
ally changing and it is for this rea--
son that we are making this trip of
inspection. You may not believe what
say, but it Is the truth: we must pic
ture conditions in this section Of the
country Just about half as strong as
they really are. If we told the truth
there are many who would not believe
is. Let me say that Montana was
never more in the eye Of the people.
About so per cent Of our inquiries are
about this state, and ] am safe in
saying that this year has seen 30 per
cent more people visit the state than
aver visited it before A large part
Of these people remain in the eastern
section of the state because they have
homestead land there and your gov
arnment land has been exhausted. You
don't want the homesteaders here any
more. You want the rancher who has
money enough to buy and develop the
immense agricultural country tributary
to Your city. Your future is assured
and within a wear or so Won Will be
eetting an influx of population that
Will give YOU all that you care to
handle"
Other Talks.
Mr.. Bricker's talk was followed by
several of the local men. who told the
visitors about the development of the
country during the past few years. its
needs and its prospects. After they
mad finished, the various representa-
tlves told their impressions gained on
the trip and all We're enthusiastic over
TINS section of Montana. They told
the local men many flattering facts
about western Montana and expressed
their opinion in a sincere and earnest
manner, which convinced the local men
present that the visitors believed in
its future just as much as did the
men representing the local CONNER
eial body. The local speakers were:
President S. j. Coffee, who acted as
POSTMASTER Frank Nelson, F. NJ.
Lawrence. G. f. Avery, George w.
Brown. n. H. Mason and Malcolm
Johnson. The following comprised the
visiting party:
L j. Bricker, J. =. Moore, l.. S.
Wood, J r Fox, s. NJ. McEwen. o. I.
Stark. C, f. Arney. j. L. Dougherty
and George A Jobes.