The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-11-03
Mrs Howey Vindicstss the Pro-
prietY Of The Ladies' In This
Campaign
Many Are Taxpayers and Have q
Direct Interest In the
Result
some Things Lsarasd About Anasond q
on . Recent Visit to That Place
Strong Address

Special 10 the Independent.
Great Falls, Nov. 2.-The ladies OF
Great FallS and Helena, having been
refused the use OF our opera house.
temporarily owned by James b. Hag-
gin, made the best Of the situation and
To one accustomed to the methods and
how much will II tale7" OF Anaconda,
the stage In the Murphy-Maclay build
ing tastefully decorated with ferns and
palms. and occupied only by calm
faced women, must have been a great
surprise. Mrs. Martha u. Rolfe. OF this
city, was presiding officer. and after the
large hall was filled even to the aisles
and n crowd stood in the doorway and
on the walk, announced as the first
number a duet by Nine Medina and
Mrs. Foote. These, as well as solos by
the same ladies'. and Mrs. Ira Myers, OF
Great Falls. received full measure OF
applause. and then Mrs. Rolfe stated
briefly that the women of the present
day were taking interest In public af-
fairs. the movement being a natural
outcome OF qualities hitherto admired
In them. IL was not TO stray from their
domain. but to widen II until IL should
embrace the affairs of the whole world.
Mrs. Howey was introduced as en-
bassadress from those who recognized
In the campaign a contest between
right and wrong. The Helena ladies'
were not here tonight at the expense OF
any gentleman in New York. or across
the sea, she said. but the expense OF
their trips through the state were de-
frayed by one of Montana's honest sons
OF toll. She thenentered upon an eulogy
of the character and life of Thomas
Cruise, to whom she referred. IL had
been said that women were out of place
In this contest. but II the opinion OF
Ruskin, man extremely conservative
on this subject. was OF weight the po-
sition OF the Helena women was ap-
proved. She quoted to this end at
length from his Queens Gardens,
wherein he gives the views OF Scott,
Chaucer and others OF renown.
| Helena women had begun the work
quietly In their own city, and particu-
larry had those women here In the
pioneer days, who had endured priva-
tions with their husbands, taken an in
terest. She presented the case to the
women, who largely composed the au-
dience, from woman's standpoint.
Many encouraging letters had been re-
ceived from various points In the state
giving reasons for their preference OF
Helena. These she read. Many Mon
tana women are taxpayers. are directly
interested In the outcome OF the capt.
tai fight, and have a right to be heard
on the subject.
Mrs. Howey then went into the rea-
sons of IIalanaso I,. Iata
and at the start nailed Anaconda's pre-
tensions TO being a railway center;
spoke of Montana's need of permanent
homes and her observation was that
on a recent trip To Anaconda the only
twelve first-class residences In that city
were owned and occupied by the off,
cials of the corporation. The same
thing was true of business houses and
all other enterprises of a semi-public
nature. She had asked for the employ
ment office, and a Standard reporter
told her there was none. Girls in search
OF work applied at Butte employment
offices or put an ad. in the Standard
and stood around and waited until an
swered. This, in city claiming 5000.
When the Anaconda hotel opened the
management got girls from the east at
| $17 per month, when Helena and Butte
were paying $25 and $50. The Standard
reporter also told her that the popula-
ton was really 7,OO0 the school children
numbered 500. Now the registration
list shows within "A thousand as many
voters as people In the city. The ar
ticles of Incorporation of the Anaconda
Copper company were next taken up,
and as Mrs. Howey remarked. power
was given that corporation TO do al
most everything In the universe except
to buy, lease, convey. improve, and deal
in state capitals and legislatures. They
were now adding this.
The address ended in a fervent appeal
TO the women OF Great Falls To aid IN
preventing this all-grasping corporation
from SELLING the whole state In its
coils.
A solo was rendered by Mrs. Foote
and duet by Mrs. Foote and Nine.
Medina closed the evenings prpgrame.
Throughout the entire exercises the
best OF order prevailed and the deepest
attention was paid to Mrs. Howey's
words.