The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1929-11-29
YEARS
AGO AND NOW

the Treasure States 10th annivers
airy the Great Falls Tribune bring.
out these interesting facts.
1t was on Nov. s, 1889, tina
President Benjamin Harrison pro
claimed Montana a sovereign state
of the union. A little nor thar
a month before-Oct. /, 1SS9-the
citizens Of Montana had adopted
a constitution and elected a sci
of state officers. The constitution
had been written by rs men-3e
democrats and SO republicans
who had spent rs days-from July
4 to Aug. II Of that year at Hell
ena laboring on the document.
These men had been elected in
the preceding May under author
ity Of an enabling act by congress
and approved by President Grover
Cleveland Feb. %. 1889.
The president OF the constitu'
tional convention vas W. A. Clark
wealthy Butte mining man, who
latere was to become United Stat
es senator and the cause of much
dissension in Montana politics.
The first governor Of the state
was Joseph K. Toole, a democrat.
The other state officials were re-
p%ublicans: John E. Richards, lieu
tenant governor; Louis Rotwitt,
secretary Of state; E. A. Kenney,
state auditor; R. o. Hickman,
state treasurer; John Cannon,
superintendent of public instruc-
ton; Henri J.. Haskell, attorney
general. OF these, Toole, Richards,
Rotwitt, Hiskman and Haskell had
been members of the constitutions
al convention.
Since Governor Toole's first
term, but six men have been ell
ected chief executives Of this
state. OF these six, but two-John
E. Richards and Joseph M. Dix
on-were republicans. Montana
never has had a governor from
east of the Rocky mountain range.
While Governor Norris was a res
ident of Great Falls during the
latter part of his life, he was ell
ected from Beaverhead county and
come to this city to live after he
retired from office.
At the time of Montana's ere
aticn it had 16 counties and, there
fore. under the constitution, Is
state senators. Today Montana
has 56 counties and Sc state sen
ators. The house Of representative
es was originally given a member
ship Of SIS. Today there are 1O2
members of the lower house.
When Montana became a state,
it had a population of approxim-
ately 10000 people. Today it is
estimated that it has $4,000 peo-
ple-five times as many as in
1889.
The total value of all Of its pro
duction in 1889 is estimated at
s67, 565, 900. The production for
this year is estimated at $350,00O,-
0OO-or a little more than five
times what it was 40 years ago.
1t is interesting to note in this
connection that in 1889 more than
half Of the states production was
from it's mines, which yielded a
total of s36,685,SS4. OF this sum,
silver contributed considerably
more than half. This year, it is
estimated Montana's mineral pro-
duction will be around $50, 900 000,
with copper dominating. While the
mining industry in Montana today
is greater than 1t was in 1889, its
relative Importance is less. Forty
years ago, the mines overshadow-
ed agriculture, livestock, lumber
ing and manufacturing. Today the
agricultural and livestock indust-
ries alone represent so percent Of
our income while mining is about
Is percent.
Montana is out OF the pioneer
stage of it's development, yet it
needs people who have the pic.
neer spirit. AS Governor Erickson
so aptly expressed it in one of his
addresses: what we need is men,
high-hearted men of intelligence
and industry in search of oppor-
tunity. We have nc place for the
ne'er-do-well, the land hog or the
SPECTATOR. Montana needs the set
Ter and the homebuilder and the
INVESTOR"
II is we'll that we pause on the
9th anniversary of our statehood
nd express grateful appreciation !
1r the achievements Of the hardy t
ioneers whose endeavors have I
laced Montana in its present out
.anding position. :
And, as we Dausa, ne should