Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-06-16
Better Times Here.

1t is evident the editors of the Ana
conda Standard and Helena hide
pendent will have to suppress some
of their telegraphic news or quit
prevaricating. Their editorials are
not in harmony with their news col
and do not tally with their
special correspondents, who'are able,
alert, and in a position to obtain
information and give 1t to
the public, free from malice or preju-
dice. A good lie, told in jest, may be
enjoyed by the public sometimes, but
when prominent journals attempt to
mislead the people on matters OF
vital Importance they become I'M
worthy of patronage and their ut
terances should be given very little
credence. 1t is but natural that the
party which went down In defeat
last fall should feel sore, but 1t is
of American citizens, who,
having a common interest In the
country's welfare, should accept the
verdict of the majority and give
credit wherever 1T is due.
Nothing is gained by misstating
the facts or endeavoring to prejudice
the people, for eventually they will
get the truth. Because prosperity
has not returned to this country i'm
mediately upon the entrance OF the
Republican party into power, Demo-
cratic organs in this state and else
where have tried to make people be
lieve ii is not coming and that condi-
lions are worse than ver But even
IL a change of administration has
done nothing more than check the
downhill course of the country
brought about by Democratic stu
pidity and incompetency, it has ac-
complished a great deal, considering
the momentum attained. But it has
done more. The brakes have been
applied and the "wild train" of dis
asters have been checked. The raw
ings of disgruntled corporations,
through their lackeys, because their
special interests have not been sub
served will not alter the facts. While
the Standard says "times are grow
ing worse instead of improving" its
own news columns have told its
readers that the business of the
country for April was within 10 per
cent of the business of the country in
April 1892, when everybody was pros
porous.
The chronic falsifier of the Helena
Independent is re%pudiated by its own
special correspondent, the brilliant
Walter Wellman. In his letter ap-
pearing in that paper of the issue oil
June 18th, he says:
That the times are getting better
in most parts of the country; that
at last business is improving, slowly
but surely. and the people are regain
ing a little of their former cheerful
ness, is the testimony OF most of the
senators and representatives with
whom 1 have talked on this subject.
1t must be remembered that our
members of congress come from all
parts of the country; that they are i'm
close touch with their constituents,
and it is only natural that they
should be able to feel the public pulse
quite as quickly and accurately as
any one. . The times have
been very hard in the western states.
| There the recovery is pretty slow but
it is coming. A%senator who hasjust
returned from a journey through the
Mississippi valley and the prairie
states further west tells me the people
are beginning to feel a little better.
| They have had such hard conditions
| to face that any change seems to
them one for the better. The small
merchants are the first to note the
signs of more active trade. Soon 1t
will be felt among the jObbers and
wholesale men. Then it reaches the
manufacturers. more people are put
to work, and prosperity shows
actual signs of returning. In some
of the states of the west, l am told,
the landlords of hotels i'm many
smart cities are just beginning to pay
rent for the first time i'm three years.
All through the hard times the own
ers of the buildings have given their
property rent free rather than have
the hotels closed. Aman who knows
whereof he speaks tells me he is able
to name a dozen well known hotels
in western cities that have not paid
q dollar of rent since 1894. Many
others have paid only nominal sums.
The proprietors knew that If the
houses were closed their property
might be irretrievably damaged. 1t
was cheaper by far for them to go
for a year or two without revenue
than to have the cobwebs in their
windows.
These statements are borne out by
other sources of information. Rome
was not built in a day nor can full
fledged prosperity come miraculously
and suddenly upon the people. But
it is coming just as certain as the
seasons follow each other,