The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-02-10
WORTH THINKING ABOUT.

~ INV oiicitO Nv VI SNSi.
citizen of this state. These several bill
have been passed by the senate, and ar
now in the house where they have beer
favorably reported on in committee. Thu
senate hurried these bills through will
unseemly haste, and a majority of tn,
members who had entered into a com
bination to locate the institutions at Ger
tain points. rode down objections ant
amendments as if they were of 40 conse.
quence.
Senate bills passed in this connection
give to Missoula the university without
conditions or consideration; likewise the
school of mines to Butte, and the agri-
cultural college to Bozeman. From the
beginning of the. session Senator Gibson
had announced himself in favor of con-
solidating the educational institutions,
and Great Falls made no claim for
recognition. But when Senator Gibson
saw that a combination had been entered
into to ignore Great Falls entirely and
to scatter the university in the shape of
several small schools about the state, he
endeavored to turn the tide of folly and
recklcssness by IA wise and enlightened
proposition.
But the plans of the senate combine
were too well matured to brook delay.
Each senator in the deal had a per-
sunal interest at stake. They read pub
licly an editorial in this paper which
sized them up in advance, and attempt
ed to justify their course On the ground
that they were being abused 10y the OPP
position. This was crying wolf to cover
up their own sharp practices.
On they went, helter-ske!ter, deter.
mined on rule or ruin.
In the vain effort to bring them back
to a logical consideration OF consolidating
the university. Mr.. Gibson proposed in
the name of Great Falls, to make the
state a present of 100000 in cash. and
800 acres of fine land adjacent to Great
Falls, on condition that the three in
situations be combined and located here.
The proposition was voted down with
a show of righteous Indignation which
ample room for a display of feeling
the part of senators il the combine.
Then Senator Gibson offered, also in
the name Of this city, to give $4,000 in
cash, and lGO acres of land, provided the
college of agriculture and mechanical
arts shOuld be located hero.
With a similar display of magnificent
disdain. the combine voted this down,
rejecting Great Falls offer to give nearly
100000 in land ald money for the agrir
cultural college, and voted the college to
for nothing, that city having
to provide even a site for it.
Now let us examine for one moment
the motives which prompted the strange
action Of the combine. Two years ago
Senator Goddard of Yellowstone gave it
out that he was in favor of consolidating
these institutions. This year he was
one of the leaders of the combine. He
wanted the state penitentiary for Bill
most worthy ~ambition-and he
went into the combine TO secure this
end. But even Billings is required to
a site for the prison, and to pay
the greater part Of the expense for NOV
.ng the prisoners from Deer Lodge: yet
Goddard with prodigal gener-
1sity, gives away all the educational in
for nothing.
Senator Hatch of Park was also in the
leal with an object, He wanted to get
lis Sweet Grass county bill through,
expected the combine to aid him
With it.
Senator John Power went into the
combine chiefly because of his we'll
Known affection for Great Falls, and
secondly to secure aid in defeating the
Bear Paw county measure. And so on
Town the list. The Helena men are "let-
ing things 60 in the hope of making
votes two years hence. and he
of spoils goes merrily on.
The question arises: What are the
going to do about it? Will they
submit quietly to this outrage? Will
permit their representatives to give
away for nothing a lot of public %institu-
tons. when there is an offer made Of
great material advantage to the entire
state in connection with them? Are not
the burdens Of the taxpayers severe
enough without forcing them to carry a
load which would be gladly borne by
Great Falls if her conditions were ac-
The TRIBUNE does not believe that
the sober sense of the Montana legisla-
will permit the senate combine to
carry out its nefarious programme.
Since the above was in type we learn
from our Helena dispatches that there
was some sort of trickery attempted ia
the house with the senate bills, and that
a favorable report on them had not been
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