The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-11-02
VIVID CONTRAST
Helena and Anaconda Claims as I'm.
partially Viewed by a Wage
Garner.
the CASE AS He SETS IT
Wholesome Labor influence Must
Surround the Halls of
Legislation.
N the E1jfOr of The T'ribuDp.

DcdT DlI-ES oil duNoSulC Va VIZ II
of labor and labor unions, l ask
permission through the columns of THE
TRIBUNE to place the capital question
before your readers as l view it, from a
wage.earner's standpoint. On the outset,
and for the purpose of placing my argu-
ments ia closer touch with the class TO
which / have the honor, il not the pleas
ure, to belong; lot me state that l am a
member in good standing of the Car
.penters' union of Great Falls, that |
have no interest whatever in the present
contest for the capital, beyond a desire
to see the labor class, which forms, / be-
lieve, the great:bulk Of the voting power
of the state, united as it should, and
would be il not interfered with by paid
emissaries of interested communities and
corrupt individuals. From the proper
tons which the contest has assumed, and
the energy displayed by the %contending
parties, it is evident that the location
of the capital is looked upon as of par
amount importance to the successful
competitor. Such being the case, any
pers0n-and l am aware there are some
in Great Falls-having the slightest in
terest personally in the success of
Helena, as a city of Importance, are not
expected to be within the pale of my
arguments in favor of Anaconda; so /
shall address myself only to those Of my
fellow electors who are free from personal
motives to choose as to the merits and
dement's of the contendlng cities to the
permanent capital of the state. Now,
sir after the smoke Of important
contests in this struggle has been
cleared away, and the wounded prop
erly cared for, the electors, specially
and particularly tho working class,
are in a position to judge calmly and
dispassionately as to the merits Of the
respective contestants: and let vi see
what they are? Do not be surprised,
sir, when | make the assertion that with
all the intelligence and %eloquence of the
supporters of Helena, and it cannot be
denied that she has some very able and
persuasive advocates, not one sound,
logical argument has been advanced to
show that Helena is entitled to the sup
port in any form of any w%orkingman in
this or any other part Of the state. Let
me ask you, sir, is it any argument to
say that the people of Helena have more
money or are above and beyond the
horny-handed sons of toll in the social
scale, or that its residents, by question
able manipulation, amassed fortunes for
themselves? Have not the discussions
on this subject disclosed some of the
most infamous combinations on the part
of the people of that city in pursuits
which would bring the blush Of shame
to honest men? Is the bare-faced and
Infamous prostitution of the peoples
rights at the star chamber meeting of
the legislature in that city an argument
in its favor? Is it because it is the home
of %played-out politicians and political
tricksters who are adopts in the art of
deceit, fraud, and corruption that the
votes Of honest, honorable, and indus.
trious workingmen of the state should
go toward the perpetuation Of methods
| which have already become a by-word
and disgrace? Is the existence in Hell
ena of 8 large Chinese population an ar
gumeat 10 favor OF placing the capital
| where a portion of civil service employees
are, to the exclusion of white labor,
liable to be selected from that class!
Why, | ask, and echo " why
does nearly every %workingman you meet
in this city tell you that he has been in
| Helena, but owing to discrimination in
| favor of Chinese labor, neither he nor
| the union to which he adhered could
gain a foothold there? These are no idle
or imaginary ideas. They are stubborn
facts which can be proven by any person
who takes the trouble to compare notes
with even a limited number Of his fellow
workmen. The advocates OF Helena
with all their wealth, intelligence, clio
quence and exaggeration, have failed t.
advance one logical valid reason why
they are entitled to the support OF one
honest, disinterested ~workingman, much
less the support of that class as a body
throughout the state.
Now, sir, let us. if | have not already
trespassed too much on your space, turn
to the other eide of the question and SEE
what are the claims of Anaconda and it,
supporters to the permanent location oil
the capital in that city. 1t is to be pre-
sumed, as they advance no claim to the
! opposite. that the residents OF Anaconda
are a plain, common sense, every day class
of people, composed OF merchants, me
/ CndulC6 duu WOIhluEthOh vi oA SAoSSSe
as we'll as Of those representing the va
ious professions; a people, in short, pos
sessed of that intelligence, pluck ano
energy which is usually characterized b!
the development of the surrounding re
sources, the growth Of their city and thu
increase of trade and commerce. Now
as l take it, these are the kind OF peopl'
who should be encouraged in an.
country; and taking it for granted tina
a certain portion of the average working
men may have occasion to visit the CAPT
tai occasionally, shall they not feel mucl
more at ease among a community OF PEG
pie similar in every respect to themselves
imbued with the same sentiments ant
actuated by the anne principles, thai
in the shadow Of Helena snobs
Chinese sentiment, and to use a Helen
phrase, their own social inferiority. l
there is one fact more than another
which the discussion Of this question
) has emphasized, il is that there is moth
ing to be expected by the .workin!
class-the bone and sinew, and bulworl
of this state; at the hands or by the ali
or assistance of Helena, as a whole; an
, il her influence counts, aud judging b
the past, it certainly does; that lntiuenc
N .-AI .orx,,n oo ninhf In