Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1894-10-11
Helena Correspondence.

- IHe fhatS
AS SO much in: crest centers upon
Helena now, as the conspicuous figure
in the capital fight, few words from
here will be in place.
Until recently it WAS n common re-
mark by outsiders coming here, and
by our own citizens returning from
visits outside, that the only place
where one did not find the capital
question the principal topic OF conver
satlon was i'm Helena itself. The rea-
son for this was that the active busi-
ness interests OF the busy city engrossed
the peoples attention; and they con-
sidered the capital question as one
that belongs to the people of the state
and that she could trust to their judg-
ment. But as the bold. methods of
the Anaconda Mining company be-
came better known, with it's campaign
of prejudice and Doodle. and especially
its unwarrantable and contemplate
attacks upon our citizens, including
our ladies, the people became aroused
and determined to take a more active
and aggressive part in the fight. A
rousing meeting was held in the Audi
torium on the Goth inst, addressed by
Gov. Hauser, who presided, Senat or
Sanders, Hon. f. ID. Weed, Hon. II.
HI. Carter, w. Z. Cullen, Sam Word,
and Others. This was the first gun
and it has been supplemented by meet
ings in different cities, and from now
on, the state.will be canvassed by able
speakers in the interest OF Helena 1t
is recognized that any legitimate fol-
lowing that Anaconda has. is the re-
suit, principally, OF ignorance of the
respective material merits of the two
places; and of the fact, that the labor
ing men, in admiration for some per-
sonal characteristic of Marcus DAILY,
lose sight of the fact, that he is simply
the tool and agent of the great soul
less corporation, representing in its
great wealth, power and grasplng un-
scrupulousness. the very worst enemy
of labor and of civil liberty. The dan
ger of putting our Legislative, executive
and judicial systems under the imme-
diate influence OF such II power for evil
should be brought home to every man,
but especially the workingmen. Can
any one imagine for a moment that
the Anaconda Mining company is wag-
ing such n fight as n matter OF pride in
it's mining town, or to humor Marcus
DAILY? 1t hasspent hundreds of thou
sands OF dollars and will spend hun
dreds OF thousands more, and it means
| to get them back ten fold. The sale OF
a few town lots will never repay them.
Their purpose is deeper and darker,
and lies in the control OF the powers
of our state government, tor its own
selfish ends, and selt-aggrandizement.
This is no passing amusement of Mar
Gus Days. 1t is the work and money
of the biggest corporation in the state,
owned by outsiders, fighting without
regard to men or morals, for greater
power, and the people shall hear this,
before the campaign is over.
Another fact that would impress he
visitor with the fact that Helena is a
city, where the people have plenty of
business to attend to and mind their
own business: is the little stir or COM
ment made over the building of Fort
Harrison. Yet it is a commercial fac
tor that is worth two or three capi-
tails to the city. The buildings are all
brick, and many are now being put
under roof. Nine new buildings have
Just been contracted for and the post
will be ready for four companies by
spring, and is to be carried on to hold
ten companies.
The contractors started out on the
} 29th to build the new railroad from
Ontario to Rimini, abont twenty miles
long. and TAPPING some forty valuable
n,ines. This will bring about great
activity in this section, which is al
tributary to Helena.
A regular stampede has poured into
Lump gulch, a few miles south of this
city, where many rich mines have re
Fcently been struck, and nearly every
available foot of ground has beer
located. 1t is predicted that it viii
become the greatest mining camp in
the state. EDWARD C. Russell
Helena. October L, 1894.