The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-07-27
MONTANA STAGING
A QUICK RECOVERY
GAIL OF BILLINGS PROPHET OF
GOOD TIMES; SAYS PROS
PERITY COMING.
Quotes Campbell, Bonanza Farmer,
as Saying Montana Is Best Winter
Wheat State In Union; Talks of
Achievements.

Urging his hearers to have conf
dence in Montana and declaring that
leading industries in the state were
staging a sensational comeback, w.
w. Gail, advertising agent, Billings,
sounded keynote of optimism at the
concluding session in Great Falls of
the Montana Laundry Owners asso-
citation. Asserting that all business
was on the upgrade in Montana, Mr..
Gail said it was important to let
the world know that the Treasure
State is at the dawning of a great
industrial activity.
Stabilizing of mining, revivals in
livestock and wool, new railway con-
struction, opening up of coal fields,
capitalization of scenic resources, i'm
proved agricultural conditions and
oil development we're some of the
reasons cited by the Billings speaker
for improved confidence in Montana
Agricultural Outlook
Mr.. Gail referred in detail to the
agricultural outlook of the state, de-
claring conditions were greatly i'm
proved this year over past seasons
and that the prospects were excellent
for bumper yields not only in 1923 |
but in years to come because of this
years abundance of moisture.
Quoting opinions as to Montana's |
agricultural future, Mr.. Gail referred
to the statement of James ]. Hill,
late railway king of the west, who
said Montana will be the greatest
wheat state in the Union" The
speaker also quoted Thomas D. Camp
bell, said to be the largest wheat
grower in the world, now farming
$1,000 acres in Montana, as saying
that Montana was the best winter
wheat state of all and that recent
adverse conditions were not normal
and not likely to be repeated again
N another 40 years. Mr.. Gail also
to a statement of Hardy w.
pert, who said: Montana is capable ;
If producing and will produce, with
light methods, four bushels of wheat
o every one produced now"
Montana is the last state in the !
Union with large areas of cheap /
and" Mr.. Gail said. "The average {
interest rate on Montana farm land {
S $2.46 per acre. On land in typical
middle western states it is $14.28 It
nd in the United States as whole {
is more than Sc.
According to Frank E. Holton, {
broker, two of the biggest {
nd most successful Illinois farmers
ecently figured up and found they
lade bigger profits on their Montana
arms than on their Illinois land. And
that is more, this was true even dur
ng so-called poor years in Mon
ana"
Farmers in eastern states and in
ne middle west have more difficult
to meet to make farming
ay than those in Montana, Mr.. Gail
lid.
In every district in Montana in
asst years where the moisture has
cen light, some farmers have raised
lccessful crops, the speaker pointed
1T.
Referring to the hog industry, Mr..
all said that 100 carloads of hogs
q now going through Montana
eekly to the Pacific coast, which
light just as well be grown in Mon
ma.
Drought and grasshoppers are
It new" said Mr.. Gail, land they
e not confined to Montana. Hail
not as bad as floods, tornadoes and
clones, such as other sections of
e country must contend with, year,
ter year.
can exhaustive first hand investi-
tion by the extension department
the state agricultural college into
nditions in the section of Montana
nsidered to have been hardest hit
the drought disclosed these sig
ficant facts:
"Of SO settlers in typical town
ip, only % had previously farmed
lie remaining As included two cir
s musicians, two carpenters, two
tchers, three COW hands, one sea-
ing engineer, three blacksmiths,
o deep-sea divers, three bartend-
), three elderly spinsters, etc., none
who mhad had previous farming
perience.
"Of the 23 who had previously
med, 18 moved on the land and
'ried on farming operations. Four
N of these IS had been successful
d were still living on their farms
the end of the period of lean