The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1886-05-26
Six Shooters.
Editor OF the River Press:

| Editor OF the River Press:
| I'm back for another growl; guess you
| will conclude I'm an inveterate growler by
this time, but don't you think the day is
passed when man need make big six
shooter his constant companion? Of
course, if he's travelling across the coun-
| try, miles away from anywhere, why then
it's we'll enough to have a revolver along,
| but when he comes to town Or settle
ment it would look much better if he
would lay it aside, out of sight somewhere.
There may be some few exceptional
cases where it is necessary for some cer-
tain man or men to carry weapons, even
in more settled country than this, but
have noticed that those who are in that
Unpleasant predicament always have
| their rtvolvers concealed.
The practice of carrying the belt pistol
was a necessity a few years ago and a good
many men have become so accustomed to
| it that they would hardly know how to
dispense with it, bat really, when men
have distance of from one to five miles
to travel, through settled community, it
seems to the they ought to have self re-
spect enough to leave their ssguns'' at
home, or at least keep them out Of sight.
One often meets with acquaintances
whom he knows to be good men, who
make practice of carrying big six shoot
ers strapped to their waists, and if they
get raped pretty hard across the knuckles
about it they are apt to get angry, but
have they ever looked at the matter in the
right light? They goto place where
they are we'll acquainted, knowing that it
is peopled by quiet, law abiding citizens.
Do they realize that in keeping their re-
volver constantly at their side, they are
not only injuring their own character, but
are casting shadow on the reputation of
their neighbors?
Gentlemen, it does not raise your char
acter one iota in the estimation of either
friend or stranger. You who are sup
posed to be civilized white men, living in
the midst of civilized community, it does
not add one tithe to your reputation for
courage; it is not gentlemanly; it throws
an unpleasant slur on your neighbors and
causes you to be the butt OF many unkind
and derogatory remarks among acquain-
tances, and strangers are very apt to class
you amongst the ruffianly element always
to be found Oh the frontier, while you are
open to the suspicion of trying to be a
3shard case. a reputation no honest man
desires.
Where one man carries "a belt pistol
now, twenty do not, and as this fact is
well known the conclusion is obvious;
either the one who carries it does not
know any better, or knowing better, has
no regard for his reputation, or else he
exposes it to view simplyto try to frighten
people and make them think him danger
ous, a reason that is so utterly detestable
that I can hardly conceive Of a man being
actuated ~ such thought.
Now I want to say word to some real
ly good men who ale keeping up this silly
custom simply through the force of habit:
Drop it; it neither rebounds to your credit
nor does it make your friend think any
more highly Of you; in fact, it does you
lots Of hurt amongst. acquaintances,; it
leads to unpleasant remarks, while stran--
gers instantly judge you TO be either a
bully and coward, or desparado and
ssrough."
You may be angry, you whom this hits,
but am only giving you the straight
truth when say that you are following a
silly, senseiess and ungentlemanly prac-
tice: silly because there is no necessity for
it: senseless because there is no good rea-
son or cause for it; ungentlemanly be-
cause no gentleman desires the reputation
or even the suspicion of a reputation of
being either bully, coward, ruffian or des-
perado
When danger threatens then every man
should prepare to meet II, but when all is
neace then either leave behind or put out
ont of sight the weapons which, when
needed, add to the dignity Of a
brave man, but only subject the wearer GO
contempt when paradea amongst peaceful
citizens without any cause. kAsApsA-