, 1889-01-01
WELCOME TO THEIR VIEWS

WELCOME ~ IHEIh WE VS..
Two Democratic territorial papers have
come TO the rescue of Governor Moonlight,
the Rock Springs Miner and the Lusk
Herald The former contents itself with
a fulseme culogy, while the latter appears
to believe that The LEADERS, structures
on the governor we're based upon the
alleged fact that he has cultivated the
people of the territory rather than the
people OF Cheyenne. 1t is nevertheless
moved TO say: The Herald is no blind
party organ; it does not believe in up
holding rottenness 10 the Democratic
party any more than it does in the Re
publican party, and it believes the gov
ernor's supplemental report was neither
timely nor good, but we also believe the
mistake was one of the head aud not Of
the heart
As to the latter proposition there is
room for an honest difference of opinion.
\ supplemental report from the governor
of a territory TO the secretary of the inte-
rior is always an extraordinary occurrence.
Only one report in each year is required;
it an additional report is made the subject
is supposed to be one of grave public con
Germ. Was it so in this case? Ii was
not. For two years the governor had
estimated the population of the territory
at 5000. These were his accepted fig
ures in the report made this yenr. lie
sent in the supplemental report for the
simple purpose Of modifying these figures.
No census had been taken in the mean.
time, but an election had been held and
another estimate was made based upon
the vote cast. Nobody will venture to
say that his revised figures are absolutely
correct, for nobody, not even the governor,
knows. And yet he vent to the trouble
of sending an official communication to
Washington to reduce an accepted esti-
mate by making another estimate to take
its place. Still, some of the keen sighted
journalists Of the territory affect to see
even in this something worthy of com
mendation. Heads and hearts may both
be involved in this conclusion.
The question of the actual population
of the territory is not the only one in
volved. Back of it all is the motive
which actuated the governor in sending
the supplemental report. Had he moth
ing but the good of tAc territory
at heart or was he really u NEEDLE
busybody whose handspring
was malice? From our knowledge of
the surroundings We came to the latter
conclusion and our belief is almost unani
mouslS shared by the people in this sec
ton of the territory.
The question Of Cheyenne as against
the whole territory has nothing to do with
the matter. There arc a few nincom-
pOops here aud there who believe in sir
ring up such a strife but they don't carry
much weight. The interest of the terri
tory is Cheyenne's interest and Wyo.
mings advancement means the advance
ment OF Cheyenne. This town has no
odds to ask of any section and it has
nothing but good will for every town in
the territory. 1t has got its share in the
past and it intends to get its share in the
future. 1t is to the interest of every
town to help build up the whole territory
and Cheyenne is engaged in precisely that
line Of business. The criticism on Cover.
nor Moonlight was not based on any feel
ing that had its foundation in local causes.
The supplemental report did not single
out Cheyenne for specific condemnation.
1t was considered to be a blow aimed de-
liberatelY at the interest of the whole ter
ritorY and as such an attack upon it
needed no further justification.
This paper has no apologies to make
for the course 1t has pursued.