Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-14
CAN SUCH THINGS BE ?

Would it not be shameful thing if
the taxpayers of this state should have
to appeal to the legislature for protec-
~tion from unjust legislation? Would 1t
not be shameful thing for any class
OF property holders to feel it necessary
TO make such an appeal? Whom should
the laws protect If not the men who.
with their energy and their means. are
building up Montana by developing Its
varied resources? What industry has
done more to bring prosperity to the
people than mining? The value of our
mine products last year was more than
sixty million dollars. of which over five
s.xths went into the pockets of the
people for labor or supplies. Surely
therefore, the legisla tors. of this state
should keep one thought uppermost In
their minds. and that is that they will
enact no law to embarrass or comlii
cate the mining industry or 10 deprive
any mining company Of perfect justice
in the courts or that they will d.scour-
age more capital from coming to NJ IN
tana by showing a disposition to dis
criminate against that which is already
here. The development of Montana
would have been slow indeed had 1t not
been for the money our leading citizens
during the past twenty years succeeded
in persuadins eastern capitalists to in
vest here by promising to all wise and
liberal laws and equal Justice in TIE
courts. Our Ia Dor orga MIA tons assisted
cheerfully and effectively in the goo1
work by so conducting their affairs that
all over the United States our union
IA hor was known as the most Intelligent,
patriotic and conservative in the WORTH.
From this friendly relationship between
capital and labor a wonderful prosperity
has resulted. and great concerns like the
Alice. Moulton. Lexington, Silver Bow
and Dexter in the early days. followed
later by the Anaconda. Parrot, Colorado,
Boston & Montana. Clarks Reduc ,,on
works, the Montana Ore Purchasing
company and Butte & Boston came into
existence. Some of these are still -four
fishing separately. others have been
consolidated for work on a still greater
state mines have been opened and mills
built, giving work and wages to an ever
increasing army of workmen and pro-
riding a market for all the stale
products OF range and farm. But still
we need more money from the east. and
to obtain it we must still protect with
just laws and fair courts the money
here invested.
Would it not be shameful, therefore,
we repeat, if the people of Montana were
compelled to appeal to their own iegs-
lative assembly for wise and sane ana
decent legislation, and for protection
| against special laws for special pur-
poses. or against laws to help one Soc
ton or class against another section y
class, or one company or individual
against another company or individual?
In the recent election the people de.
| manded an eight-hour law, a law
! against trusts organized in restraint o.
trade, a law to change the ballot, ana
! other desirable reform measures. To
accomplish the enactment of such meas
ures the people, in their alleged wisdom.
elected a legislature having fusion ma
jority. Let that fusion majority now
show the material it is made of, but let
it leave alone the established agencies
of law and order under which the rights
of property have been safe, and capital
| has been encouraged to develop the re-
sources of the state with resulting ben
efits to the labor and business interests
of all the people. Let the day never
dawn when Montana will have to crave
the merciful consideration of its own
| legislative assembly.