The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-12
WHAT SHALL WE DO NOW?

ASS
been relegated to the proper tribunal,
the people,. The governor takes the
very sensible view that the state
should not be rushed into an expen-
diture for which it will have to mort
gage the future, just because it is fash
ionable among states to expend large
sums in the n proposed, and
while holding himself in readiness to
make the call for the special session
whenever he has the personal pledge
of each member that he will serve
without expense to the state, he makes
it clear to the members that he is not
in favor of the legislation proposed,
and it is fair to presume from the gov
ernor's expressed attitude in the mat
ter that should there be a special SEES
sion and an appropriation made, it
would have to be pretty unanimously
supported to avoid a veto. And then
the governor feels pretty safe in his
promise to issue the call when in pos
session of the personal pledges of all
the members to attend and serve with
out pay Or mileage. A session of some
legislature under the conditions nam
ed may be held sometime and some
where, but it will be when the pigs
ny. MI Il.
The situation is now considerably
cIar1ned. 1t is merely a question o.
individual and voluntary subscrip-
ton, and in this line some portions
Of Montana should show up strong.
Inasmuch as there can be nothing
in the nature of a Montana exhibit
made at the big show except mining
and timber products, it is not to be
expected that the range and agricul-
tural sections will contribute appre-
Gladly to the needed total. The treas
ure state will naturally be expected
to display specimens of it's wealth of
sible and practicable to show a bunch
of steers or a herd of sheep, there
could be nothing distinctive about
them and what little of the flavor and
vigor Of Montana they would have
when first arrived would dwindle day
by day under the facilitating effects
of Missouri weather and feed. Water
melons, pumpkins and ''spuds" from
the agricultural valleys of eastern
Montana would be equally uninterest-
ing and vastly more feeting as an ex-
hibit. In fact, viewed "by and large"
which phrase by the way is appro-
priated bodily from the esteemed Ana
conda Standard-the question of
whether or not we shall have a repre-
sentation at st. Louis in 1903, is now
up to the mining sections of the state.
Vast fortunes have been made in these
sections and they say "the ground has
barely been scratched" The highest
sum yet named for this purpose would
be a mere ~bagatelle to the allied min
ing interests of the state if they would
consent, for a brief interval to ally |
themselves in such a p~raiseworthy
undertaking. AS for the few thou
sand dollars that scattered enthus-
lasts of the range and farm might
contribute, it would be better to leave
them out altogether. Why spoil the
merit of an almost individual under
taking by admitting a few "pikers"
whose chief reason for contributing
would be to get into good company"
Why divide the glory of such an en-
terprise as this on a basis of percent
age? Let it be known to all men and
women who visit the big show, that
the beautiful architectural dream dedi-
Gated to Montana, that fills the area
of their satisfied vision to the exclu-
sion of anything else, is the gift of a
few of "our' m%illionaries who con-
ceived and completed the financial
end of it in a brief afternoons session
held on the spur Of the moment. We
offer this suggestion to the gentle
men referred to. 1t is not necessary
to call them by name. The, solution
of the question is in their hands. They
can dispose Of it as pleases them and
whatever they do will be satisfactory
to easern Montana, as this section
never expected to be invited into the
game and doesn't know how to play
anyhow.
The democrats of Maryland believe
in adhering to old methods. Instead
of going to the laborious and costly
~expedient of remodleing their state
constitution by the insertion of the
grandfather clause and thus dis