The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-08-01
EASTERN DAILIES
LAUD THE WEST
CHRISTIAN S CIEN CE MONITOR
SEES PROSPERITY AHEAD
FOR MONTANA
Discredits the Harmful and Discour-
aging Stories that have been Circu-
lated through the Columns of Ger
tain Eastern Periodicals.

Continued publication of articles
in eastern newspapers which are
written by editors and reporters
who made a trip through the
northwest at the invitation Of the
Great Northern railway to ascertain
the financial and economic condi-
ton of the country, shows the in
terest and feeling in the east re-
sulting from the excursion.
The following article is an extract
from the Christian Science Monitor,
published by a special staff cores
pondent, in the issue of July 5. The
writer flatly denies previous reports
and stories of depression in Montana
and other states OF the northwest
and proves his statements both by
personal observation and by statistics
which he gathered from responsible
authorities while he was On the trip.
The article follows:
eff there are some who are in
doubt regarding economic conditions
existing in the northwest section of
the United States it would be well
if they took a trip through that sec
tion and met and talked with its
citizens. Recently, through the in
vitation of the Great Northern rail-
way, a group of eastern newspaper
men made such trip. They nd not
find what they expected. Reports
had been spread to the effect that the
citizens of this good land were in
distress financially and economically
and that immediate government aid
was needed. 1t was a pleasant sur
prise to the publishers, editors and re-
porters in the party to note the alb
sence of such conditions. No one
talked of radica'ism. Everyone be-
lieved in the soundness and prosperi-
ty of his country.
North Dakota, Minnesota and
Montana have been the targets for
considerable criticism. However, |
the situation in these states was not |
found to be alarming. Some farm
ers have not met with success and
are dissatisfied. Let il be known
that there are some who do not farm
expertly. 1t is largely these unfit
ones who have failed. Not long ago
and Nebraska, now prosper
Gus, experienced a period of depres-
sion brought about almost entirely
by poor agricultural conditions. Bet
ter farming, diversifioation and
better knowledge of the country has
the situation in this section
and has established prosperity.
Prosperity is Near.
''The Northwest is passing through
a similar period and complete pros
perity is not far distant. The farm
ers in this section in the past have
specialized in wheat. They have be-
come one crop farmers. During the
recent war wheat sold at premium
price and therefore they were eager
to raise large quantities of such
profitable crop. The collapse of
prices in 1920 left these farmers in
q serious condition. Wheat farming
could no longer earn them a sufficient |
income. Many of them had invested
heavily in land and Injuries, and had {
not thought to create cash reserves, c
with the result that there was
heavy demand on the banks. This l
situation in itself is a long a
story, but briefly it may be said that o
he northwest was overbanked and =
he banks doing an unsafe business ]
allied. Of the 602 bank failures in 1
he past few years the capital in {
Tolved was but fraction of the cap i
talized banking power. Bank au- 1
-horities show that conditions are 2
not alarming and that the banks Il
hat have stood the strain are strong 5
II than ever.
ITO return to the problem of the
armer, it is evident that to be sue N
'essful he must not work haphaz- 4
Irdly. 1t is of course, not an easy 81
ask to change the methods of all p
he people at the same moment. VI
each section has its own little par t!
ocular problem to be solved and it II
aries from that of another. County 81
gents are doing considerable work Il
n this connection. They are gradu- b
ties of an agricultural college and IL
make it their duty to study the sec W
ion they cover, to assist the farmers CO
n adapting his work to his problem. CO
Cattle on Foothills N
'In Montana it is possible to raise al