The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-10-27
CORMORANT RULE.

sense of what is right, with due appre-
citation of justice to all, an intelligent con
ception Of independence, and an utter ab-
horrence of hoodwinking and unfair crit
cism, we are compelled to deviate from the
course intended. Taking for its text the
late sale Of county warrants, and the above
heading for its caption, the Rec0rd of last
week shows itself in the newest and strangest
garb of independent journalism ever wit
messed in this Territory. The article to
which we refer was evidently written as an
electioneering card for Mr.. Healy, and was
meant to be complimentary to the retiring
county officers. In both objects it has
failed. When the endeavor is made to laud
any particular person or persons at the ex-
pense of the community in which they live !;
to praisetheir usefulness by directly insulting
the intelligence of their n%eighbors; to place
them on q standing of honesty and purity
(Which never had been in question except by
themselves, by dragging down others to the
level of %'scurs," the result of such %endeavor
must be fat failure. Over the shoulders Of
an unknown correspondent the people of this
county who do not believe what the Record
desires they should in regard to the county
Indebtedness, or who object to e%xtravagant
expenditure Of their money, and demand q
strictly economic administration of county
affairs, are designated s'skulking, dirty,
cowardly, miserable ours" Is that right ?
Is that justice? Is that respectable and in
dependent journalism If such were the
sentiments entertained by that paper towards
u very large and influential portion of the
citizens of this county, decency alone should
have prompted silence. And right here, by
way Of depression, We ask Why should the
people Of Choteau county place confidence
in the statements Of the Record in regard 10
the financial condition of the county J? Has
it faithfully and truly represented the con-
dition of the finances when it infrequently
to the subject?
It is easy to perceive that the article in
question was written, not in haste, but after
due and mature reflection and its language,
plain and Ineligible, must be accepted in its
full meaning as the free expression of the
paper. Now let US see what this language is
L says that az anonymous correspondent OF
the Helena Herald compared Mr.. Healy to
Boss Tweed, Of New York City fame. This
comparison the Record does not think
~ and very possibly it is not
and it intimates that the correspondent
be some over Jealous Republican who
desired in that manner to forward the can
vass Of Mr.. Rowe, the other candidate for
the sheriff office. That was the first thought
Of our cotem. But upon reflection and deliber-
alton, however, it was considered, to use
their own words, stoo favorable" Why ?
we quote from the article
tself,-sstaken il connection with the
second resolution of the last Republican con
venJion Of Choteau county, q result Of per-
3onal enmity and spite = < < we are forced
% conclude that the same skulking, dirty,
;oWardly miserable cur, with an individual
who has figured in these other nice lit
lie pieces Of business, has loomed up againin
he Herald rs q Benton correspondent" Very
plain language, indeed. No chance for the
charitable opinion that there may be a mis-
axe; the wording istoo plain for the meaning
o be construed in any other light than that
n which it presents itself-a direct insult to
he citizens Of this county who condemn the
bx,o 49,, N - = = !, = u r l.os = -~4 srJcI&aI- #
ness.
After reading the above quoted passage,
our first duty was to search for a copy of the
resolution. We found it-Where EN-
bodied in an anonymous communication to
he RecorG-Which leads us to say that that
which seemingly despises the assocla-
Of anonymous correspondents-and
very properly-is, at times, found en-
the society OF these towards and
ours" even to the extent Of publishing their
vulgar and unmanly attacks upon q body of
Of Benton, who, under the provisions
OF free speech, free expression of thought,
underline laws Of the Territory of Montana,
and the provisions Of the constitution of the
United States, assembled in convention under
name and authority OF the Republican
party. Out upon such journalism, when its
independence is shackled and bound by the.
question whose OK was gored?
The resolution above referred to reads as
follows:
Resolued, Thatthe extravaganza Of certain county
officers N increasing the county debt in one year six
teen thousand dollars, making it at the present time
equal to nearly forty thousand dollars, meets the con
Of every citizen, and in order to prevent