The Helena independent., 1894-10-23
SHOULD Be At HELENA
Logical and lrrsfutabls Reasons
Against Freighling Away the
State Capital
Great Falls People Assemble In
Large Numbers In q Store
Building.
Bsi,E Denied the Use OF Their opsrs
Hsuss-Bus They WIN Have
Free speech.
Special 70 The Independent.

Special 10 The Independent.
Great Falls. Oct. 22.-Strains OF
music by the Boston g. Montana band
brought a crowd to the hall In the
Murphy -Msclay building and filled IL
to the door and obstructed the sidewalk
outside with people anxious TO hear
the speakers on the Helena side of the
capital question. The meeting was
opened by Attorney Ransom Cooper.
OF this city. who recited tho facts Of
the building OF tho opera house. show
ing the many Great Falls citizens OF
all opinions who had contributed 20 tho
building fund. IL has been open 20 all
comers. irrespective OF creed or poll
tical bias, until the capital campaign
opened lie introduced as the first
speaker L. C. Russell. who stated that
he should discuss the matter only from
the standpoint OF what was TO the In
terest OF all the state. Local interests
had been dragged into the campaign
and prejudice aroused. The capital
was the states great offloe-room. and II
Is necessary that the city containing
IL should pre-eminently have the quail
ity OF permanency. Helena possessed
this In n marked degree, and the soli-
| dlty OF her buildings, and the enter
prise was consonant with the dignity
OF 80 great an empire as Montana. He
pictured the baieful influence OF Mar
Gus DAILY in future legislation. the
wholesale corruption fund and appeals
to prejudice and cupidity made by An
aconda. His earnest and eloquent
speech was warmly applauded.
Lieut. -Gov. Botkin was next intro
duced. He began his remarks by stat
Ing that the closing Of the opera house
doors TO Great Falls people. In order
that they might not hear both sides
discussed. was more than an ordinary
outrage. II was conspiracy 20 sup
press free speech. TO un-Americanike or
to Russlanlze our institutions. and was
but the forerunner of injustice and
| tyranny 10 come. Helenn citizens pres
ent on the platform were there TO as
sure Great Falls that she was making
a race. He asked the voters to reflect
that they were locating the capital not
| for a few years. but for all time. and 20
| act on the principle OF the greatest
good 10 the greatest number. He
showed concluaiyely that Helena was
now AT or near the conter OF populh-
ton, and by the physical formation ot
| the state was destined TO be SO. No
other state OF the forty-four was 10
fortunate In this respect, and TO ask
| tho people OF Montana 10 take 10 away
and put Il In village fifty miles from
the state line wns monstrouH.
Anaconda boomers had said that
should their town receive the greatest
number OF votes the capital would still
rCmnin az Helena and the next loHlnla-
ture meet there. He begged that none
would DO mlaled. IL would be the duty
OF eyory state officer Immediately 10
pack hla effects and transfer himself
and th0m 10 Anaconda. except the lieu-
tenant governor, who had no duties and
no salary, lie spoke Of almost absolute
lack OF suitable accommodations at
| Anaconda. Those az present available
would be n disgrace 20 tho state. Mar
Gus Dnly had promised TO mako Ana
more accessible 90 tho citizens Of tho
western part OF the state by extending
the Butte. Anaconda a Pacific, ana Inn
mOdintoly after the last election ho
onlod a meeting ~ the stockhooldera
and amended tho charter, making ok
tension beyond Butte or Anaconda i'm.
possible. II was like every other prom
| ise no made.
Col. Botkin spoke ot the denlrability
/ of the establishment of state inban0
asylum at Great Fails. ana how u
would be impossible should Anaconda
get the capital, as the 1rst session of
| the Legislature would set to work on tho
| erection OF n state building, and by
using up state funds delay indefinitely
| the settling OF the Insane asylum, IL
was for this reason that the present con-