Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-04-16
THEY ARE ENEMIES TO BUTTE.

L ne statement mas UcSn lnuue Will
more or less detail regarding the plan
that Mr.. Rockefeller and others are or
gaining a copper trust which is to in
cu!e nearly all the big producing cop
pcr properties in the United States. thos>
named being all the mines owned by the
Analgamated company, the Calumet &
Hecla. the United Verde, the Boston &
Montana and the Butte & Boston.
This new combination, according to the
published accounts, is to own or control
practically all of the smelling and retiE-
ing plants in the country. and its cap
ital is to be net far behind that of tho
steel trust. Such in brief, is the out
line of the project that has been pub
lishel within the past few days by all
the leading journals of the United
States. \ few of these newspapers have
seen fit to go much further, and. draw
ing entirely upon imagination predict
wonderful things when once the pso-
posed company is in full operation 1t
Will, for instance. according to these
papers, absolutely control the output OF
copper in this country. The output from
one section will be greatly decreased,
while the output from another will be
Corresp ondingly increased. Strangely
enough. the Butte mines are the ones Sc
lected by these self-appointed authori-
ties as the ones that are to suffer while
the Calumet & Hecla and United Verde
are to make up the deficiency. CT
course, there must be some object and
purpose in this, and these newspapers
have it pat. Organized labor is TOD
strong in Butte and wages are too high
to suit the proposed company, and these
things are to be overcome by shutt;ns
down the mines until those forming the
objectionable elements are starved our,
when something more pliable will be IN
troIuced.
All of this has very familiar sound
1t is not materially different from the
story told a hundred times in the cam
paign last year, and it rests upon tn.
same foundation now as then-thin air.
1t may serve the purpose of some reck-
less and sensational newspapers and
some professional agitators to bring this
mouldy chestnut forth from the garbage
heap, but if the purpose is to create con
fail completely.
The condition of Butte today Is a suf.-
Gent answer to it all. Never before in
its history has the city enjoyed so much
solid prosperity. The mines-except suc.1
as have been temporarily closed down by
lnjunctions-and shelters are all in full
operation, trade is excellent, money is
plenty, confidence is strong, and hun
dreds of thousands of dollars are beins
invested in the construction of business
blocks and homes in this city that viii
go far towards transforming it, If any
such plans We're afoot, as these sensa
ton mongers describe with such JUNCTION
is ii possible that shrewd business mel
would be investing large sums in im
Irovements here? If the bottom wer
going to fall out, the mines be close;
Down and the camp put to sleep, woul,
. those most deeply interested and Win
would be most affected by it pursue tn
policy they are now pursuing?
II will occur to most people, too, tina
these papers are taking everything FOL
granted in order to make a basis To-
their yellow story, because the trust ha!
no existence yet and may never have
Furthermore, the papers engaged in ci'
culating this tale with full approval, an
even with enthusiasm, are enemies t.
Butte. enemies to it's progress and pros
perity, just as much SO as the agitator
who find satisfaction in passing
along with endorsement and satisfac
ton.