The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-01-10
Montana Little
Hurt By Ending
OF World War

HELENA, Mont, Dec. BODY AS
sociated Press.)-Not only Montana
suffered comparatively little from the
slowing down of war work, but recon
struction projects, which are expect
ed to add greatly to the activities of
the state, are hardly more promising
and important than those industrial
and commercial projects which were
halted by the war shortly, it is prob
able, will full blast.
Thus far, with the exception of loss of
contracts by the manganese industries
at Butte, Philipsburg and Great Falls,
no line of favor worth mention, within
the confines of the Treasure state, has
witnessed diminution of effort through
cessation of the war. Mine, mill,
farm, field and factory from border to
border, with the possible exception of
a phase of the lumber industry. are
in full operation and expect to con-
tinue to do so, it is said, on peace
orders, for many a month to come.
Lailway development, highway ex-
pansion and the completion of irriga-
ton projects, together with other and
hardly less important plans seem to
assure the state several years of pros
perity unprecedented even in Monta-
ma.
A half score of railway extensions
were on the point of initiation when
lack of material and labor called a
halt before American entered the wal.
Since this couat1y's entrance, and un.
der federal control, only n sllolt
line, the Black1oot %extention of the
Milwaukee in the western part OF the
state, has been handled. There are
no official lidings of what the govern
ment mea to 10, but sine the pres
ident is kr1wn - ia 81 any feasible
plan TO prov lie employment It Is az
sumed that even whi,o under federal
management L-ese eX eEsio: Will hC
undertaken as S. on as materials can
be obtained and workers assembled.
Bills now pending for great az
preparations for the numerous irriga-
ton projects in the state give hope
that active work on them will be push
ed during the coming year.
Large sums for highway develop
ment will be available for Montana
from both federal and state sources,
and it is understood that the state
highway commission will make every
effort to get these roads building next
| spring and keep them going through
the summer.
horizon has been the abnormal ship
ment of cattle out of the state, due to
high prices for feed, and its scarcity.
But inquiry for lands indicates
heavy immigration and as the future
of the cattle industry, with the gradu-
al disappearance of the range, must
lie with the small rancher, it is felt
that a year or two will see the cattle
business established on as wide a
| scene and on a irmer basis than be-
fore.
One interesting item to Montana is
the news that war trucks will be
turned over to the postofice depart
ment for immediate extension of the
parcel post system. Last fall trucks
were used to haul crops from sections
without railways and it was said al
the time that a wide and comprehen-
sive use of motors over good roads
would due to largely increase the
population of the state within a shor,
period. Montana's magnificent dis
tances hardly can be ribboned with
rails for many years but a workable
truck system would enable immi-
grants to till with profit outlying lands
which. despite their richness, have
not offered proper remuneration be-
cause of the difficulty of hauling pro-
ducts.