158 MONTANA 1914 



Owing- to the development of nran}- new and varied resources ; the fact 

 that the Butte mines are AVorkin<r the larsfest force of men in the history 

 of that mining- camp; many new railroads and branch lines under construc- 

 tion and anticipated ; a g'ood demand for farm lahor and hands in luml^er 

 and log-ging^ camps, all point to a future of uninterrupted industrial activity. 



W'hile on the subject of labor conditions. T mig-ht with propriety men- 

 tiotti here the contract entered into last May between the Butte miners' 

 union and the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, which practically fixes 

 and determines the scale of Ava.ges in the quartz mines of this 

 Big and State. This contract is in the form of a graduaited wage scale 

 Steady Pay and runs for three years. It provides that when copper is 17c 

 for the per pound or more, wages for miners shall be $4.00 per day ; 



Miners. when copper is below 17c and above 15c, the rate of wages 



shall be $3.75 per day: when copper is under 15c per pound, 

 the wages shall be $3.50 per day. If my memory serves me correctly, the 

 price of copper has remained above t^c the entire summer, and wages have 

 not at any time been under $2,.'/^ per day. Wages have therefore been 

 practically $3.50 and $4.00 the past season — a very gratifying condition for 

 the most important industrial locality in the State. 



Summarizing, it may be said that while many of the laboring people of 

 Montana are far from leading an ideal existence, yet their condition as a 

 whole is much better than that of their fellow workers in surrounding states. 

 It is gratif3dng to feel, after a careful and thorough canvas of all sections 

 of the State, that the percentage of unemployed is comparatively small, 

 while the number of employed is much greater than ever before in the 

 history of this commonwealth. 



I wish before closing to make some mention of the excellent market 

 afforded for home products. Montana is singularly blessed in this particu- 

 lar. This is true of manufacturing as well as of agricultural products. It 

 is, however, a matter of extrem-e regret and concern to the 

 Home Pro- State as a Avhole that so much of the raw materiad of a diversity 

 ducts Find of home production is annually shipped out of the State for 

 a Ready manufacturing purposes, and this is done regardless of the 



Market. saving of transportation charges, and the fact that much of 



the finished products can be turned out quicker, cheaper and 

 better here at home. It would seem that the possibilities of manufacturing 

 in this State are still being overlooked, as they have been for a genera- 

 tion past. 



Montana annually ships many train loads of live cattle, sheep and swine 

 to the eastern markets, while large quantities of fresh meats, including 

 hams, bacon and lard are imported every year to supply the local consump- 

 tion. With cattle and lives<tock raised in abundance, and a continually 

 growing market, Montana has no slaughtering or packing plants of conse- 

 quence within its boundaries, and we can see no particular or valid reason 

 for this condition. Here is an industry in which the people of the State 

 should interest and bestir themselves, \\ith proper financial support and 



— The mineral wealth of Montana has scarcely been scratched. 



