The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-11-01
CAPT. COUCH FOR HELENA
He Tells tho People OF Great Falls
Why He Is Against Hag-
gins Town
And Shows tho Insincority OF All
tho Talk About a Big
Refinery
Aaaoonda CompAay Never nuiids Any
thing Esospt In Towns That 10
Owns Iiody And saul.

Great Falls Leader. oct 20.
What do you think of the capital
asked a Leader representa-
tive Of Captain Thomas Couch.
well, some features OF the contest
are comicnl and amusing others are
ridiculous and some deplorable. False
reasoning, false promiaes, prevarica-
tion. absolute lying and false citizen
ship seem 10 be the principle features
OF the campaign In some localltlea."
What do you think OF the stand
taken by some OF the citizens Of Great
FallH-those who advocate Anaconda ?"
Some people. you know. are often
found in positions that force them 10
talk for others rather than for them
selves. This. I am inclined to think, is
the trouble with some OF your citizens
to-day. They seem 10 intimate that the
Anaconda company will build refinery
on the banks Of the Missouri river, and
give that as a reason for the people OF
Great Falls giving their votes to Ana
conda. Now 7. myself. do not believe
that the Anaconda company intends 10
build a refinery or anything else on this
river. But admit that they do. The
reason, then, will be because, after due
investigation, they found that II will be
20 the interest OF the company TO do so,
not for votes, but because the copper
can be reduced, electrolytically. cheap
er here than In Anaconda. But with
water power In both places, who knows
that II can2 Still. II IL be true that the
Missouri river offers advantages over
those OF Anaconda and the refinery
should be built here. that would mean
the closing up OF the refinery, which Is
now being enlarged, at Anaconda, and
that part Of the pay roll would be trans
ferred from Anaconda TO some point
along the Missouri river. III all OF this
should come 10 pass. however. IL will be
found that the refinery will be built on
a separate townsite from Great Falls.
and one that Is wholly owned and con-
trolled by the Anaconda company-ln
short, Great Falls will have a sharp
competitor and rival, too close for either
comfort or Increased prosperity. The
Anaconda company never builds any
thing In any town not owned by them
selves. and do not believe the people
of this town will be duped into anything
that will not insure 10 their benefit.
What benefit will Il be to your people
| 10 change the capital 90 Anhconda2"
"How do you regard the position Of the
worklngmen? You notice that some OF
their leaders are advocating Anaconda's
claimsT'
mo- do not believe the best thinkers
and most conscientious leaders OF the
laboring classes are advocating Anacon-
da's claims. Nor do | believe the labor
vote will be cast 10 give the capital Of
the state 20 any corporation In exist
ence. II IL Is. 1 admit beforehand. that
the reason for SO doing is beyond my
comprehension. | have too much conf
dence in the honest workers to believe
their senses are so dulled as To vote
themselves into n breach Of that sort,
and shall not believe IL until their votes
are counted. Some men who style them
selves leaders are always under corpo-
ration pay. and In times OF conflict the
honest laborers usually find their worst
enemies In their own camp. IL has al
ways been so. In this case, however,
they have had plenty OF time for refec-
tion, and they certainly will not put
their heads In the moose that is dangling
for them"
you do not believe. then. that remov-
ing the capital 10 Anaconda can be OF
any benefit 60 CascRde7"
How on earth can the capital at Ana
conda benefit anybody In this countyg
The Boston a. Montana company have
very large interests In this county, and
also In Silver Bow. and we do not be-
lieve Il will be to the interest OF the
county or the state to change the Local
tion Of the capital IL we thought 50
we should advocate IT,"
"Your company's relations 10 Great
Falls are very close. How would you
look upon II II the vote OF the town was
cast for Anaconda, that is from a CONS
lpany view!'
We'll as remarked before. the COM
pnny does not favor a change OF tho
state capital. How the trustees would
regard the vote of this town I'm particu-
lar do not know. | am one only OF the
number, The Boston & Montana COM
lpany Is the best friend the town ever
lhad, and the best u will have for some
time. IL helped the Townsite company
out considerably when Il concluded 10
lput the reduction works here and en-
Abled Il TO make great deal OF money,
land made the town what II Is to-day,
IL kept the town up during the depres-
sion OF last year, and In doing more for
lit than all other influences combined.
l1f the Boston a Montana pay roll was
taken from it. what would the business
lportiln OF the people do now2 What
would become OF the town as whole ?
II think all the people know who keeps
the town In good standing, and / feel
lcuntident that the vote VIII show their
depreciation OF the company who have
done Ro much Tor them What the Bus-
hn a. Montana company have done and
what they are doing are realities, and I
lcannot believe their wishes viii be who'll
lly dlBregardcd when they have an op-
lportunity tn speak through the ballot.
land hesidUH they viii not vote them-
selves an Inconvenience"