The Ronan pioneer., 1917-02-23
UNFAIR, AS USUAL

providing for the organization OF
Lake county, introduced by Repre-
sentatives Harbert and Mason, that
paper is unjust, as it always is to-
ward the reservation country in gen.
eral and Roman in particular. In the
first paragraph of the editorial the
Missoulian shows it's absolute ignor-
ance of the bill as we'll as it's plain
intent to misrepresent. 1t says:
If the proponents of the proposed
county of Lake are wise. they will
eliminate from it's boundaries the
Jocko valley country. whose inhabi-
tants are up in arms against the pro-
posal to include them within it's
limits"
The writer of this article was in
county bill was drawn, and now have
a copy before us. The bill included
none of the Jocko valley within the
boundaries of the proposed Lake
county. and for the information of
the Missoulian and a few other peo-
pie of that hamlet who are desirous
Of holding the reservation in bond
age, we will state that the township
line between townships II and 18
was the southern boundary of Lake
county mentioned in the bill, leaving
the entire Jocko valley in Missoula
county. In no instance did the line
go nearer than 20 miles to the city
Of Missoula. The convenience of
those living in the Jocko valley was
considered by the trainers Of the bill
and that territory excluded, regard
less of the fact that it naturally be-
longs, from a geographical standpoint,
to this valley, Of course, the big
mountain lying between the city of
.Missoula and the Jocko valley is no
natural barrier" when it comes to
forcing people TO come to that city.
Ir the next paragraph, the Mis-
soulian says
The people around Arlee, Ravalli
and Dixon are naturally indignant
at the thought of including their val
ley within the limits of the proposed
new county, from the main body OF
which they are forever separated by
natural BARRIERS"
The writer of that paragraph shows
absolute ignorance of the lay of the
country around Ravalli and Dixon
as connected with what it is pleased
to refer to as the "main body
From Dixon to Roman there is a
water grade, a distance of 20 miles,
less than an hours travel, whereas
the people of that section are now
compelled to travel, to reach their
county seat distance of more than
70 miles. From Ravalli to the main
body" is about miles and the ma
tural barrier is the county road over
which the people living in the main
body" have travelled from the begin
ming of time to get into the city of
Missoula, and over which they pro-
pose to make us travel until the end
of time. There is an animal that
roves wild through the forests of
Arkansas that is purported to have a
snout as long as a fence rail, and
cloven hoof, but he is not in the
same class with lot of Missoulians
when it comes to hogging everything
in sight.
The article admits that ultimately
we are going to have new county,
but along with the county commits
sioners, assert that we can go no
farther south than the township line
between townships IS and 19, which
cuts the main body as the Mis-
soulian calls it, almost in the middle
From this line south to the proposed
new county line, 80 per cent of the
people would, in going to Missoula, be
compelled to cross the natural bar
rier" that is of SO much concern to
that paper when they are going in
the other direction. consistency,
thou art jewell And so is the Mis-
soulian when it comes to misrepre
sentation and a few other things not
necessary to mention.
The fact is, the Missoulian or the
people of Missoula, have little con-
sideration for the residents of the
Jocko valley, Ravalli, Dixon, or the
main body" other than to force them
to come to Missoula over natural
barriers" and spend their money.
They have done this lavishly in the
past and Missoula wants them to con-
tinue to do so. How long will our
people continue to submit? There is
every reason why new county
should be formed out of the northern
portion of Missoula county, the
southern portion of Flathead county