Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-10-13
Bodies Interested
in Greater Montana Organization
to Exploit States Opportunities

That all the world may know of the advantages that Montana has
TO o11er to the man of small means and to the man with capital, a state
chamber OF commerce will be organized next month to conduct a cam
palgn of publicity. The organization will be effected at a convention
which will be called to meet at Great Falls at which at least 800
present.
The permanent chamber, in accordance with plans already formu
lated by a temporary board of directors, will call a Greater Montana
convention to meet in the spring but which thereafter is to assemble
annually to debate advertising, agricultural, industrial and commercial
PloDems that affect the state at large. The first Greater Montana con-
venlon will probably be held in Great Falls. but it is the intention
thereafter to hold the convention from year to year in every section Of
the state.
Every big interest in the state, agricultural, industrial and COM
nerc1al will be asked to send its representatives to the November meet
ing for the organization o. the chamber. This convention was to have
Deen caned a month OF TIVE ago but the threat of a big railroad strike
caused its postponement, However, when the pioneers in the move
commerce IN nearly every county met in conference at Helena two or
three weeks ago it was decided to proceed at once according to the or
lgnal plans, and the preliminary board of directors which had been
named at a conference in Anaconda in July, was authorized to draw up
bylaws for a chamber to be submitted for ratification at the Great Falls
convention and also to devise means to finance the chamber. Louis
newman, president OF the Great Falls commercial club, who has been
preaching the need of a statewide commercial and industrial organiza-
ton for the last twelve years until now the urgency is recognized by
progressive business men throughout the state, is president of this pre-
hminary board. The other members are Malcolm ellis of Butte, first
vice president; Vic Sampsel of Billings, second vice president; w p
Symmes of Lewistown, third vice president, and A. J. Breitenstein of
Great Falls, secretary-treasurer.
The day for the meeting of the organization convention will be set
by President Newman as soon as he has opportunity to consult with the
commercial interests of different sections. This convention is expected
to be in session for three days and Immediately thereafter. the perma-
nent directorate of the Montana Chamber of Commerce will meet.
Montana has perhaps the most wonderful and interesting scenery
that can be found in the United States or in the world" said Mr.. New
man in discussing the purposes of the chamber. "Peop1e who have
travelled through the Alps say that the peaks made famous by poet and
romancer are no whit grander than those to be found in Glacier Park
and elsewhere in the Montana Rockies. Colorado gets millions every
year from tourists through the attraction of scenery and climate that
are no better than OUR own, all because Colorado has advertised her
self to the world. A state chamber of commerce could cooperate with
the railroads in making known the unexce1ed scenic attractions of
Montana.
Good roads are a necessary adjunct to a successful campaign along
these lines, and it would be one of the duties of state chamber to keep
before the people of the state and state and county authorities the inn
portance of systematic highway building.
"An this, however, would be subordinate to a campaign that would
reveal the agricultural and industrial opportunities of the state. Mon
tana contains 100000 acres of land, of which 81 100000 are classified
as first class farming and 100000 as grazing land, with the other
100000 acres described as mountains and forests. Much of this So
called grazing land, however, is bench land, which, in Cascade county,
has been made to yield IS to 40 bushels of wheat to the acre, whereas
the average yield throughout the United States is only 14H bushels to
the acre. Were this second class land in Belgium it would give in place
of 40 bushels 20 or 80 bushels to the acre.
"This is the day of organization. Everything in Montana is Or
gained except the business interests. By acting Is a unit and prevent
ing duplication these interests can effect an enormous savings in adver-
tising the state. Iii proposed to organize the state chamber along the
lines of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. By adopt
ing the principle of the referendum it would be possible to get the sem
timent of the commercial and industrial organizations as well as the
farmers bodies on issues that arise from time to time affecting the well
fare of Montana and to lodge an effective protest at Washington
whenever legislation is threatened inimical to the prosperity of the
state, also to obtain legislation to speed the state in its Development
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