The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-10
From Present Appearances the
Chances are Helena Will
Not This Year.
What the Sentiment Ia Among
Those Not Interested in the
Old Association.
The Opinion General That the Stockh0ld.
ers Should Consider the Public and
Settle~Their Differences.

The question of whether there will be q
fair i'll Helena this summer is causing q
great deal of discussion among all classes
of people. The life of tho old Montana
Agricultural, Mineral and Mechanical 1850
citation expired some time ago. and up to
date nothing has taken it's place; and from
present appearances nothing will, with the
result hat there will be no fair and no rae
ing meeting at Helena this year. The en-
tire trouble is confined exclusively to the
stockholders in the old association. and
dates back several years. The property
was advertised for sale a week or two ago,
but new complications arose and the sale
has been postponed till May Is. In the
meantime propositions and counter propo-
sltlons have been made, but it looks as
though the matter was as far from an amic-
able settlement as ever.
Just what the rights are on either side of
the controversy, the general public does
not know, and seems even to care less. But
the universal opinion among those not di-
rectly interested is that for the benefit of
h 9 whole community a settlement of the
controversy should be made, and that
quickly. Late in the winter all the eastern
w hoipCo uAiN ANtNO
meetings were loud in their praises of the
big purses the Montana cities would hang
up for the flyers this year. AS a result
leading horsemen of the country have pre-
pared to enter their horses in the Montana
circuit. Secretary Pope has received all
nominations, but unless q new association
is organized to take the place of the old
one, o of the horses will come to Helena
this season. No two or three members of
the old association seem willing to assume
the responsibility of running the fair n
race meeting, even if they could secure the
use of the grounds, which is doubtful.
Anothe unfortunate phase of the situa-
ton is that this summer will be an unusual
ly good one for the agriculturists. resulting
in a fine display of Montana products.
Early in the winter a number of enterpris-
ing Helena gentlemen, not Interested in the
fair association, got together and made an
agreement to personally make an effort to
have a good display of the products OF
Montana soil, as we'll as of horses, cattle
and sheep. They are interested in irriga-
ton enterprises, and feel Shat the best ad-
v~ertisement they can have of the advant-
ages they offer settlers is a good showing of
Montana grains, vegetables and fruits at
the state fair. They had arranged for the
aid of railroads in this behalf, and pro-
posed to fix the time of the fair for the visit
to Montana of gentleman in the east whom
they desired to interest in their enterprises.
OF course, if no fair is held, these plans all
fall through, the stockholders in the old
association gain nothing, and Montana
will lose the chance to interest additional
eastern capital.
Heretofore Helena has led all the north
west in the matter of a fair and race meet
ing. Missoula and Great Falls have now
entered the field, and the latter city realizes
that Helena's misfortune is her opportun ty,
and neither time nor money will be spared
to place that city first in the race. The
holding of the fair in Helena means the
expenditure of a great many hundreds of
dollars among the merchants of the city
that they would not otherwise receive, and
it is the only occasion during the wear
when they can expect a crowd from the
outside towns, they, as we'll as the hotel
and every one else interested in the
prosperity of the city, want to SEQ the
stockholders of the old association come to |
a settlement. The general sentiment is
that there must be some common basis on
which all the stockholders can meet and
their differences, and that in
justice to the people of Helena, who have
given the Montana Agricultural,
and Mechanical association a loyal
support, they should do SO as soon as posi-
BILE. ''lf the stockholders must have a
said a Main street merchant yester-
day, let them settle this contest, which, if
1T lasts. Will harm every man, wolnan and
child in Helena, and then choose something
else III which only they are interested, to
quarrel about"