The new North-west., 1897-01-29
COUNTY DIVISION.

COUNTY DIVISION.
What Some of Our Exchanges Say in Re-
gard to the Merits of the Case.
The Anaconda Standard is opposed to
division of Deer Lodge county. A
pretty good reason why the county should
be divided. Butte Tribune.
If the people of the proposed new
Powell county desire autonomy they
should have it, without the interference
of Anaconda or any other foreign power
on earth Such are American principles
and ideas-Montana Fruit Grower.
For the creation of Powell county by
the division Of Deer Lodge not less than
| 800 interested tax payers yesterday made
themselves heard through petitions pre-
sented to the house. The property peo-
pie Of the central portion of Deer Lodge
and of the communities north and east,
| like Elliston, Lincoln, Blackfoot, Wash
ington, Bald Butte, Helmyille and settle
ments contiguous, are united in desiring
the creation of the new county, with the
town of Deer Lodge as the county seat
Helena Herald, Jan. 26.
A struggle is going on in the legisla-
ture for the creation of several new coun
ties, all of which propositions appear to
have merit. In consequence of the Pow
ell county bill, which proposes division
of Deer Lodge county and thus has
awakened the hostility of Marcus DAILY,
it is seen by its official organ, the Stand
ard, that all the new county bills will be
thus opposed by the Anaconda company.
1t has come to be questioned as to VIII ether
Montana is part of a republic or a dis
trict Of the Russian empire. Certain it is
every public question must first find ap
proval at Anaconda before the enactment
of legislation relating to it can be hoped
for. Harper's Weekly contained a tren-
chant editorial on the boss rule of Platt
in New York and Quay in Pennsylvania a.
Surely Montana follows closely in their
wake.--Red Lodge Picket.
The fate of the Powell county bill.
which proposes segregation Of the bal
ance of Deer Lodge county from Ana
conda and its vicinage, is of far more
than local concern. On its face the bill!
is placid and polite to a degree: it pre-
sents no more formidable proposition
than petition from residents of one por-
tion Of a large county for separation from
another portion, based on considerations
of simple convenience. But the real
question underlying the measure is a
proposition in equity.
Defeat of the bill means endorsement
and perpetuity of the one man power in
Montana. 1t means, in this particular in
stance, continued domination Of Marcus
DAILY in the political affairs of all the
people comprisinga a large and populous
county; it means the incumbency of all
county offices, the assessment of all prop
erty, the levying of all taxes, the award
ing of all contracts, the rape of the pub
lie treasury, the administration or non
administration of justice-all at the be-
hest and caprice of a domineering auto
crat. Defeat of the bill means that the
Montana Legislature is yenal, un= Amer
ican. subservient, boot backing body de
serving the contempt alike of every pa
trotic citizen and of the plutocrat whose
slave it is.
Victory for the bill means, to that eX
tent at least, the end Of millionaire and
corporation rule in this state. 1t will
serve as "Notice to quit to all who
essay dictatorship in this commonwealth :
affairs solely by virtue of their dollars
and their dagos. 1t will be emphatic
pronounccment for Justice, Liberty and
Equality those principles of which we
of Montana of late years have heard SO
) much and experienced so little.
If the Fifth Legislative Assembly OF
Montana be wise, honest and patriotic il
will pass the Powell county bill.-The
Sheridan Paper.