The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-23
Those Bear Prizes.

JUDGE BRANTLY proved to be a
genial umpire. Upon him de-
volved the important duty Of
passing Judgment on the prize bear
stories that were the contribution Of the
three members Of the supreme court Of
Montana to the Christmas edition of
the Standard.
Everybody who read these stories
and everybody who got hold of the
Christmas Standard did read them
can understand hat Judge Brantly
addressed himself to a mighty difficult
task when he undertook TO apply the
crucial test and reach conclusions. The
test was the relative nearness to APP
parent veracity." As will be seen from
the text of the opinion hande down by
Judge Brantly. which is printed on the
fifth page Of this mornings Standard,
his test had to be abandoned. The
umpire set up a new standard, which
may be described as "the manifest far
ness from the recognized truth"
Judge Brantly finds that Judge Pigott
was farther away than either OF his
CO11DtllloTSs tldl Juukt T1uHl Mas INN
fartherest and Judge Pemberton next.
Those who remember the light and airy
romancing in Judge Pemberton's bear
yarn can imagine how Infinitely far,
under the decision. Judge Pigott must
be from what would be looked upon as
the commonly-accepted truth. Whether
Judge Hunt was a bad second or not,
Judge Brantly's decision does not VEN
ture To say. In any event the assess
ments. respectively. are: on Judge
Pigott s25: on Judge Hunt SIS; on
Judge Pemberton so.
But IL Judge Brantly disposed Of this
matter In a genial way, 1t is neverthe-
less true that he was fearless In the
announcement Of his conclusions. He
became satisfied as to the veracity-or
the utter lack Of tin the bear contri-
buttons: he had the courage to call n
spade a spade"-that is to say. he had
the courage to do II in Latin. Those
of the Standards readers who happen
not to enjoy a personal acquaintance
with the word 'mendax." can get all
needed information at any first-class
drug store. Meanwhile. IL is enough for
the Standard to add hat the UNIVERSAL
ly accepted Specification OF the word is
you're another" Applying the slid
ings scale. Judge Brantly finds that as
a bear 'mendax" Judge Pemberton is
mastery" Judge Hunt is expert,
Judge Pigott il shameless"
When the text Of the umpire's report
reached the editorial desk in the stand
ard office. that word "mendax" looke
like a pretty hard proposition 10 run
up against even in dealing with the
writer's OF bear stories. Accordingly a
reporter was sent out. under instruc-
lions quietly TO whisper a word in
Judge Brantly's eat. The reporter
whispered. LIBEL" exclaimed the
Judge. in reply. why. man. accord
ing to the city ordinance governing the
freedom OF the press. you can call any
man a mendax' II you do II in Latin
So the word stands.
II all amounts to this. The gentle
men on the supreme bench and the
chief justice-elect courteously assisted
i'm a little undertaking which had a
pleasant Christmas charity as its aim.
The sequel Is that. early to-day, fifty
dollars will he placed in trustworthy
hands. one-half in Butte. one-half in
Helena: the money to Se used where
with To gladden. the Christmas-eve ex-
periences OF fatherless little ones in
those two towns. For their kindly as
sistance in the matter the Standard Is
indebted to these gentlemen.