The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-25
Warm Words Exchanged at the
Fourth of July Meeting.
AND ALL KINDS OF KICKS
After the Meeting l.. l. Harris Was
Knocked over the Desks by Pro-
feesor Firch-The Combat
ants Were Separated.

meetings, nothing could beat the one
held last evening at the city hall to
perfect arrangements for the celebra-
tion.
The trouble all came up over the re-
ports of the programme committee.
There were majority and minority re-
ports. The majority was as already
| published i'm the Standard. The minor !
ity report was signed by Ben r. Har-
ris, chairman of the committee. His
report was identical with the other re-
ports except that II substituted the
name of Miss Jennie Morris for the
name of John F. Firch. as reader OF
the Declaration of Independence, and
il placed the exercises at IL a. m. in
stead of Z D.. m.
b. Gallick of the executive committee
got up and moved to lay both reports
on the table.
The programme committee" said
Mr.. Gallick, lis infringing on the rights
of the executive committee. They have
no business to select a site for the fire
works. We have already selected a
site. 1 do not know what right the pro
gramme committee has to decide on an
arch. That's in our hands. As for the
reading of the Declaration of Independ-
ence, it takes a man OF ~eloquence to do
properly. We have Americans here
enough to read the Declaration without
calling on this man."
ID. M. Newbro seconded the motion
to lay the reports on the table.
John F. Firch, who is a m of
the programme committee and had
been selected as the reader of the Dec
laration of Independence, then arose
to reply to Mr.. Gallick. He aid
LAS an American-born citizen from a
family which fought for the glorious
stars and stripes, l resent being as
sailed by an American lew"
"Order, order" came calls from various
parts of the house. Chairman Bray said:
Nobody is worthy of being called an
American citizen who is not an American
gentleman"
Mr.. Firch begged the pardon OF the
committee and of the meeting II he had
said anything improper. He then accused
MIR. Harris of having formulated lies for
the paper.
Il ask the protection Of the chair" said
Mr.. Harris.
There are lots OF ways OF calling a mar
a liar said Chairman Bray, without
saying 1t in so many words. A scholar
like you should be more guarded in his
language"
II will ~retract the expression" said Mr..
Firch. land merely say that he said
things which are not true
A. G. Siebenaler was the next speaker
He said: My father is a foreigner. Mr..
Galick has made the inference that a
foreigner can't be as good an American
citizen as a man who Is native born. 1
resent It,"
There are no foreigners here" said
Chairman Bray. w are all American
citizens wherever we were born"
Il. o. Dugan said that no reflection had
been made on foreigners by Mr.. Gallick.
All are here to get up a celebration.
Mr.. Ffrch asserts that / am a Jew,
said Mr.. Gallick. IT am, and | am proud
of IT. Probably that's more than he can
Gau said no WAS not AZ IN read the Dec
laration of Independence. and ! am more
convinced of IL than ever. The foreign
and native-born citizens are all the same.
Nobody is a better American citizen than
/ am. Mr.. Firch nominated himself to
read the Declaration of Independence and
elected himself; nobody else wanted
him
Il can be substantiated in my state
ments by any member of the committee"
said Mr.. Firch, ''f he will only tell the
truth. L was asked by a large number of
citizens. whose names il is not necessary
for me to give, to read the Declaration of
Independence. No member of the commit
tee opposed except, perhaps, Mr.. Brown
James Brown, a member OF the commit
tee. said:
II was not in accord with with every
thing that was done by the committee.
but as the majority favored IL j signed the
report" Mr.. Harris was in full sympathy
and accord with the sentiments expressed
at Jul hfSl hIttllilk. 4 oppbsth WI itiNi
as reader of the Declaration, and was
the only one to do so. Mr.. F1rch sug-
gested himself as the reader of the Decla-
ration. l wanted the matter referred to
the executive committee, but the balance
were satisfied and now / am with the
majority. Mr.. Harris did not oppose Mr..
Ffrch at that time; l did. but i am with
him now because the majority decided
for him"
Mr.. Harris said: ST want to resign as
chairman of the programme committee.
don't like the society In which l was
placed. | saw nothing but wrangling was
going on. Egotism and conceit seemed 10
prevail in the committee. ! got disguised
and acquiesced. The matter of reading the
Declaration of Independence came up. j
never met this man before and | hope j
may never meet him again. He wanted
the job and nominated himself for 1t. ]
don't know whether he il Mr.. .Ftrch or
Professor Ffrch. / have even heard him
called Colonel Firch, although i don
know how he ever earned the title. ]
suggested that We should have some good
eIocutionist like Professor NewilL. Fircr
said he had been requested by a number
of citizens TO read IL himself. 1 was dis
gusted. but / let it go at that. i protested
against the proceedings being published
Mr.. Brown told me l was a pretty good
dry goods man but he would run this
newspaper end Of it,
Mr.. GaiIick's motion to lay the reports
of the programme committee on the ia
BILE was carried by a vote of IA TO s.
J.. /. Harris then moved that the exec
utive committee be empowered to pre-
pare a programme. This was carried bl
a vote of IL TO 7.
After the meeting was over Mr.. Firci
made some uncompiimentary remarks IL
regard TO Ben r. Harris OF the pro
gramme committee. Mr.. Harris starte'
for Mr.. Firch. but was held back. L. l.
Harris started in to separate the COMBAT
ants and was knocked over the desks b!
Professor Firch. Before further troubI
the combatants were separated.
The GLOWING sums were reported o.
the treasurer as turned In for the celebra
ton:
First ward, sl34: Second ward. 24.5
Third ward. S2e5 50: Fourth ward, slo