The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-22
THEY REALIZE NOW
The Twin Cities Clearly See Why
Montana Is So Cold.
SAID BY A BUSINESS MAN
Il Is Alleged That Chicago Has
Been Circulating in his state
Reports hat Minnesota
Is a Coldbug.
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

Special Dispatch to the Standard
ST. Paul. April 2i.--A systematic boy
cott OF the wholesale merchants Of
Minneapolis and st. Paul is said to be
enforced in Montana. A recent grow
ing tendency on the part OF Montana
dealers to refuse their usual orders to
Minneapolis Jobbers has led to an in
vestigation which has to an extent
established the truth Of the above
statement. K. T. Leclair of the Balti-
more Packing company in Minneapolis
has led In the investigation. Mr. Le-
clair said to-day that he had conferred
with many OF the Minneapolis jobbers
and all who sent trav--ng men into
Montana or who have trade in that
state report that there is a large fall
ing OF In orders and that their men
are received with scant courtesy in
many Montana towns. George r. New
ell * Co, who have had a very large
trade in the state. find that they are
losing business. Other jobbers tell the
same story.
The whole trouble" said Mr.. I,e-
clair. lis that Chicago has been watch
ing Minneapolis and st. Paul gain
ground In Montana and has taken
advantage of the political situation to
regain her old trade in that section. We
have learned that Chicago has sent out
men who have gone all through Mon
tana reporting that Minneapolis and
st. Paul are rabidly anti-free silver
ana that the two cities are working
hard TO secure what the Montana peo-
pie believe viii ruin them. This has
naturally made the Montana merchants
warm. Chicago has been joined In this
underhanded work by Omaha and St
Joe; they have been looking for a
chance to get into Montana territory
and they are willing to get there by
u~ba -
as a matter OF fact, the business men
OF Minneapolis take no very prominent
part In political affairs and nobody
knows whether they favor free silver
or bimetallism or what not regard
the attitude of the Montana merchants
as very unjust to Minneapolis, and 1
believe that when they are fairly in
formed OF the facts that they will re-
tire from their present position"
The remarks of Mr.. Leclair fairly
outline the situation. Other men here
say that Chicago has been unable TO
compete with Twin City tobbers In all
the territory northwest OF this city for
some time past. Since Chicago lost its
grip on the region there has been
startling development. Especially In
Montana there have sprung up a large
number of thriving cities with large
mercantile establishments. Until late
ly Minneapolis and ST. Paul have had
about 30 per cent OF the trade OF that
state. The completion OF the Burling-
ton extension through the Black Hills
region into Montana has given the cit
les OF Omaha and St Joseph a chance
at that region. but IL Is claimed that
they have been unable to compete with
the Twin Cities up TO this time. They
are now joining Chicago agfnst the
Twin Cities In the hope that they may
get well established In the coveted ter
ritory.
The Minneapolis Commercial club Is
making investigations In Montana and
viii take steps to ventilate the whole
matter 50 that the people of Montana
may see the true position of Mime
apolis.