Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-23
n, v. GRAIN DEALERS ENDORSE
SUMNER TlLACE IN MONTANA
Work of Montana Development Association in
Promoting New Farming Methods Is Com
mended in Convention.

campaign as being the starting Of a
real. firm foundation for the tiliase OF
non-irrigated lands in Montana.
Thinking that perhaps some are not
thoroughly acquainted with the history
of this movement. it might be all right
to again go into detail.
The year 1916 was disastrous so far
as farming methods in Montana were
concerned because that year grain grew
regardless of methods, and people
were lead to believe that it would al
ways do so. and in the years which
followed a great majority of our farm
ers floundered around. hoping that 1T
would rain and trying to work the
thing out. in first one way and then
another. There were many other things
which came in to a%ggravate the stu
ation and make it harder for the farm
er, which could not be laid at the door
of Montana land or Montana farmers.
You all know what these things were.
The Need of New Methods
Starting with the years 1918 and
1919. a few men over the state started
to talk summer tillage. but very little
progress was evident. In discussing the
matter on the trains or on the streets.
the average man would shrug his
shoulders and turn and walk away or
frankly express his doubts as to
whether Montana was anything more
than a COW state. During the years
when this argument was going on and
when failure after failure was being re-
corded and settlers were leaving the
state, certain men located in almost
every district in the state, irrespective
of whether the district was particularly
favorable or not. were getting by. pay
ing their interest. living decently and
il some cases even paying the mort
cages on their farms.
FINALLY II became evident that Mon
tana dry land farmers would have to
universally accept and practice some
advanced method of tillage or else the
bench lands above the ditch would
revert TO range.
about this time the Montana
Development association undertook the
campaign, because its officers and
directors felt that this problem was
one of the most serious confronting
the state. The purpose of the cam
paign was two-fold.
Selling the State to Its People
First. of course. to obtain better
tillage methods universally over the
Sldtt, Dut SFloIitt. hld a. VI u
as much Importance. the selling of the
state over again to its merchants and
business men. by making them interest
ed in the program. getting them TO
think about it and study it and talk it.
which in itself would prove to them
that Montana's benches above the ditch
were designed for something far more
productive than food for the range
steer.
You all know that this campaign has
been most decidedly successful: ;hat,
before the campaign. the average bust
ness man was skeptical and felt ex-
cedingly doubtful. Now he is confident
of the ultimate working out of the
thing and very hopeful for the future.
Some people might say that the atti-
tude of the average business man has
but little to do with the situation.
We know that M~ontana's tourist
business is increasing by leaps and
bounds and that a great many of these
tourists have something else in view
than a pleasure jaunt. We know that
in the past some of our business men
have painted a pretty black situation to
some of these tourists. We think that
from now on this will not be done be-
cause a large majority of our business
men are firmly convinced that Mon
tana lands are going to be made to pro
duce.
Pledges 20 Acres: Has 200
"A good many men representing
banks and farm loan concerns are busy
driving the state. They have talked
with the farmer himself and can pro-
duce plenty of evidence to show that
the campaign of the Development as
ISOLATION has been far more successful
even than indicated in the telegram
which has just been read. For example.