The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-10-05
THE CAMPAIGN OPENED.

THE CAMPAIGN OPENED.
Major Maglnnis opened the campaign at
Missoula on the 22d, when he addressed a
large and attentive audience on the political
issues of the day. His remarks were not
confined to general politics, but were directed
to distinctly local interests as we'll. Among
matters of this nature he took up the Bitter
Root land question, which lie discussed at
length, taking the position hat a great por-
ton of the Bitter Root valley was an Indian
reservation at the time the N. P. R. r. COM
pany secured their land grant, and conse-
quently that no part of sucn reservation could
have been included in the grant. If this
view is correct, it follows that when the In
dian reservation was removed from the Bitter
Root to the Jocko, the land embraced in its
former site reverted to the general govern
ment, becoming government land, and as
such open to presumption or homestead en-
try, Notwithstanding the railroad claim to the
land. Major Maginnis is of the opinion that
the railroad claim is invalid, and if he be re-
turned to Congress we may be assured that he
will do his best to protect the interests of the
people of Montana against the schemes of
the monopolisls. That Major Maginnis
will do this, we need no promise.
His past record is an absolute guarantee to
that effect, and the Bitter Root farmers will
leave the matter in his hands with the conf
dence with which we trust a suit in law to
the hands of an able and faithful attorney.
How different would it be in case Colonel
Sanders were elected. Taking that gentle
mans career in our territorial legislature as
the basis of our judgment, remembering how
invariably he was ound working with might
and main in favor of every single subsidy socaR-
die ever attempted to be perpetrated upon the
people of Montana, how in reason could We
expect him to be changed in nature by the
atmosphere of Washington, redolent as it is
with the unsavory odors of "rings'' of every
description, so that the former agent and
spokesman of the m~onopolists would be
transformed at once into the faithful repre-.
sentative of the people and vigilant guardian
of their interests? This matter of the rail.
road claim to the Bitter Root valley is of vi
tai Importance to the people of Missoult
county, and in all seriousness we ask them tt
consider which of the two congressional can
didates now soliciting their s~uffrages the!
should select as the agent IN whose hand
those valuable interests are to be entrusted.
On Tuesday, the 2Sth, Major Maginnis LEI
Helena for Fort Benton, where, on the I'd o
, October, he will address the voters Of Che
= teau county on the general and local interest
5 of the campaign.
There, as well as in Missoula, there viii! b
: a land question to discuss, but one of inf
!, nitely greater interest, inasmuch as the intel
n ests of a vastly greater number of people al
involved. This question is the scheme fl
vored by the report of the Land Commission
y been introduced in congress for the sale {
e lease of large tracts of pasture lands to IL
capitalists of The east. This scheme orig
mated in California, and is backed by an
amount of capital whose owners were quie
to see in it a new field OF monopoly OH
last session will be brought up again in IL
next, where, if Maginnis be reelected it wi
meet with his determined opposition, on Il
floor, in the departments, and everywhe
else where it may be fought. 1t was large
i due TO the efforts of Major Maginnis and
\ those whom he enlisted in opposition to
IS that this bill has not already become la
le and the stockmen of Montana who do n
J. wish to see their herds driven from the fir
10 ranges,-or ranges which once were fir
is but will remain so no longer VIII
" brought within reach of grasping ca
10 ital, will see to it that MaginI
n who has already made a stubborn fig
n against the bill, will have another opportul
x ty of testing his strength and influence in
IL struggle against it. Should Colonel Sand'
to be elected we are confident he would feel
equal interest in the fate of the bill--an
terest with a slight difference. Maginnis |
lie fought it, and will continue to fight it unco
promisingly to the bitter end but how abb
&c Sanders? If that gentleman's past rect
counts for anything, if the reputation he
IN, built up for himself during his protrac
vi legislative career in Montana forms a va
ed, basis of induction, then We may rely upon
that Sanders fight would be equally BIZ
ing and far more INSCRIPTIONS than that of d!
ms ginnis, only 1t would be in favor of the /
the This LAND bill opens UP the possibility
rings and jobs of proportions 50 magni6c
to that Colonel Sander would have to unde
all something more of a change than that of
zen Ethiopian who changes his skin, or the IL
ard his spots, before he could resist the tel