The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-16
STATE AND COUNTY PRINTING.


- E
Mr.. Jones RspiIes to some Critics Of IN,
Proposed Legislation.
To The I~xDEpKSpEST: II you will b,
kind enough to permit me 70 occupy spac
In the columns Of Your paper, I would liz
to utter q few words in viDdicati0n and Ok
oneration OF the parties whom the editor o
the Boulder Ago has been no unwise 70 At
tack in the columns OF his paper in such NJ
uncalIed for, insinnous. o~pprobrious ant
snaYiinR aud also to make refer
ence 10 . letter which was ssnt by the edi
tor Of the Fergus County Argus to 4 Nom
bsr OF the legislature; and while t~reatinI
upon this point, ] desire to say q few word
in favor Of the public printing bill, nov
pending before the legislature for action.
In defense Of tho Hon. A. II. Day, ! would
say that lie is enlisted in . good cause, be-
cause he has seen ft to introduce 10 worthy
o measure and one in which the entire
printing fraternity Of ths state has taker
great interest and one in which any printer
can readily endorse unless he is engaged in
the act of which our bill is intended to cor
rect, and the editor of tho Age would bf
with us il he were not publishing 4 newspa-
per and receiving an enormous price for the
county printing Of Jefferson county. Well
may every printer be led to exclaim, "Oh.
consistency. thou art a jewel" The special
COMMITTEES Of Helena Typographical union
have the endorsement Of twenty-five trades
and labor associations OF the state in this
matter. making in all a backing. cOllec-
lively, of about 15,0O0 votes. And not only
80. but every one with whom b committee
have spoken in regard to requiring the pub
lie printing to be done IN the state, has
tnooHxI., aolor,n1 acttnu ~ ha ~aa mot
engaged in the act Of which our union has
taken steps to correct. Not only myself.
but every laboring man in the common
wealth will heartily endorse the Hon.
A. N. Day for taking hold OF q meas
ure which 10 at once a labor move and
regret because he has proffered his assist
ance to accomplish tine end which our union
could not nave effected alone. Through
Helena Typographical union. and believing
that all organizations Including about
1900 voters) throughout the state that
have declared they would stand by US IN
our veritably just demand to have the
printing executed within our borders. we
extend our hearty congratulstion and sup
port to the Hon. A. n. Day in his noble
undertaking, for in SC doing he certainly
has earned our everlasting friendship and
commendntion. And; further We would
not ask Mr.. Day nor any other honorable
gentleman to Engage in anything that was
not straightforward. honest and upright:
Our cause 10 just, and we believe 1t will
surely win. The editor of the Age says in
his article that ''the movement emanated
from the business Office OF the Helena
journal and embodies the worst features of
that an intelligent democrat could be Sc
duced into fathering it, even under the fa!.
lacy that it is in the interest of LABOR"
When you make b above assertion you
know you utter a base f~alsehOod. for You
know it did not; if, at all
events, you do NOT know you have
ton Of this kind for truth without having
positive proof. But. Judging from the sar-
castle and scurrillous tone of your article, it
would seem to us as il you were trying to
bluff the committee and Helena union from
making an effort for the passage OF the pub
tic printing bill. Are you very much sur
candid. Why are you surprised! For your
qualification. however, l will say that the
public printing bill did not emanate from
the business Office of the journal, and you
cannot find a single member OF Helena
union that will tell you SO. On the other
hand there is not q member OF Helena
union but what will verify to the truthful
ness of my assertion when / say that the
bill was drafted by the special committee
of Helena Typo union, No. s., composed of
Conner, Rses and Jones, kees and Jones
being democrats and Conner republican in
politics. But our bill has nothing what
ever to do with politics, for 1t is simply q
measure for the benefit of the craft through
out the state, inasmuch as it is only in
tended to keep the work from going out of
Montana.
In making further explanation, however,
as regards the petulant and cynical article
by the editor Of the Age. we are inpsIled to
give the true cause of all his antics in refer
ence to the printing bill, that al! who see
may fully understand why he makes such
false assertions and takes the matter so to
heart. He is not. as he would havet the pub
lie believe, ignorant of the origin Of the
public printing bill, requiring all state and
county printing to be done in Montana.
for in the month of November, when we
county printing being sent out of the state.
our committee sent him one. Besides he has
seen printers from here since then, and,
further, his name is Teckoned OF our list as
one of the active members of Helena Typo
graphical union. But, as you will compre-
bend, the subject matter which Is now
wounding his feelings 80 deeply and of
which a ponacea is so voraciously sought
after, il the veritable fact that our uni0n
now has a measure before the legislature
requiring all state and county printing to
executed in the state of Montana. Rumor
says that he - gwen the county printing OF
Jefferson county without stipulation
as regards price, and that he.
therefore. receives such compensation
for his work as he chooses to demand from
the officers of that county; that he sends
the work outside of the state to be done;
that he not only receives such prices for
his work as he wishes to demand, but that
he also receives a royalty on all printing
sent to outside plants. Is it any wonie
that this individual should get in a great
big "kick!" Does any one blame him for
doing 80! But it would havs been far bet
ter for his own interests If he had been a
little mere gentle about it. 1t is quite nat
ural that he should, for in the event the
Printing bill is passed a certain portion Of
his "phat" will be eliminated.
If you have any more false and SANDER
GUS charges to make you can direct them in
the future. Mr. Age, IN a little different
direction. But, whatever may be your con
clusions, hold yourself to the truth. and
rest assured. too, that We are doing nothing
which will be inclined to create a trust, or
put you on a level with a Chinaman.
We are told that a letter similar in tone
has been received by a member of the legis.
latars from the Fergus County Argus. He
is also engaged in the same
business as the editor of the
Age-speculating in county print
ing, to the detriment and injury of union
printers Of Montana. There are two more
which it would be well to mention in thii
connection, M who have also shouted yer,
loud. We mention The Rocky HountaiI
Lodge. We understand the argument uset
by the latter paper WAS that it made no diff.
ference to the printers of the state as ion)
"a the work went to union offices. This 4