The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-05-14
H WEEKLY TRIBUNE,
GOV. HAusEK INTERVIEWED.
NAY II. 1892.

not 50 much on account Of the matters
discussed as the in which he
disposed Of them. Passing over the
trials and fluctuations Of the reporter
who. according to his statement, laid in
ambush for the governor two days and
who finally succeeded in capturing him
without the aid of a lasso, we will come
directly to the principal subject matter
Of the interview.
There was Il time in the earlier days OF
Montana when the governor was re.
garded as a very modest man. Many
old.timers around Helena well remem-
beers the time when after much diplo-
macy and coaxing aud coaching the gov
ernor a persuaded to preside over the
deliberations of a democratic county
convention. They will also recall to
mind the bushes which mantled his
cheeks as he discharged the first duties
of his position. No young Miss ever
evidenced more sweet confusion while
entertaining her first lover. than did Mr..
I~Iauser in calling the convention to
order.
But the governor has gotten bravely
over the extreme diilidence and hesitancy
which distinguished his first appearance
before the public. No old stager can ex-
hibit more adamantinc to the square
inch of cheek, nor NJ slaughter house
more unadulterated gall than Mr..
"liauser exhibited in the interview re-
ferred to. II he failed to give Helena
credit for .inaugurating and completing
all the enterprises Of moment in the
state from the creation Of a heaven for
the people of his town to a hell for those
Of Great Falls it was because his i'm
agination refused to yield further
treasures from its storehOuse OF the un-
real, or because the reporter became
paralyzed from a surfeit Of the unknown
and was unable to record them.
The key which wound up the
governors imagination and sent it
prancing in the realms of romance was
contained in the question: "How about
Helena's chances for the capital:' The
question and the answer give away the
object Of the cookcd-up interview,
which is to present to the people Of
Montana Governor Hauser's reasons
why they should vote for Helena for the
permanent capital Of the state. The
gentleman starts out with the claim
that Helena is the commercial, geograph-
ical. financial. educational and railroad
center Of the state.
The truthfulncss of the declaration
may be measured 10y the fact that if the
city Of Helena were wiped off the face of
the earth and known no more forever
not an industry in the state would SUI
fer. Its exists only in the
memory Of those who recall the
shadowy past, when the full -rounded
oaths and cracks Of the whips Of bull
whackers and mule-skinners were the
sweetest music it heard. 1t is over 80
miles from the geographical center OF the
state. Its bank clearings do not show it
to be a financial centre. Its pnbllc
schools or private institutions of learn
ing do not entitle it to be distinguished
AS an educational center. while the sim
pie fact that two railroads run by it do
not make it a railroad center.
1t is with no degree Of pleasure
the TRIBUNE records these facts,
but it proposes to vindicate the
truth OF history in the face OF vain
Boosting, however unpleasant the task
may be. But Governor Hauser does not
stop at these unfounded assertions. He
leaves the domain of fancy and boldly
enters the field Of the burglar to rob
other people and other towns Of honors
with which to deck the brow of Helena.
Here is the way he doesit. His words are
quoted as they are found in the Inde-
pendent:
Helena built in Park county a railroad
to Red Lodge and developed the mines
there by expanding over a million and
"a half dollars and giving employment to
thousands Of men in that county, direct
Iy or indirectly. Helena constructed the
railroad from Livingston to the Cokedale
works and developed those properties,
spending over "A million dollars and en-
ploying hundreds OF men. Helena has
built roads through Jefferson county
and spent millions in the mines there.
~Iielena's pluck and energy built the
roads through Cascade and Choteau.
Helena's pluck and energy built the
original toll road into Philipsburg. Deer
Lodge county, the first silver mill, and
later built IA railroad into that
county from the Northern Pa
citic to Philipsburg. Helena's
pluck and energy built fifty miles OF
railroad into Missoula county and is now
developing mines there. Every county,
without a solitary exception, has reaped
more or less benefit from our citizens.
And the governor might have truth
fully added: "Helena's pluck and energy
have developed some Of the most stal