The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-05-27
SLIM RESPONSE TO CALL FOR
CITIZENS MEETING.
MAY NOT. SCREAM
Public Manifests No Interest in Mat
ter Of Celebrating the Ma.
tionaI Birthday.

Flynn Saturdays Daily Gazette.
Is the spirit Of patriotism dead in
Billings, or is everybody expecting to
go to Helena to help the men of Last
Chance gulch celebrate the Fourth?
This Is the question Mayor George,
Alderman Bennighof, especially the
latter, and the rest Of the city council
are asking themselves today.
Despite vigorous and strenuous
cerebration they have been unable
to arrive at an answer satisfactory
to their own minds and they continue
to wonder and doubt. They have
pleasant recollections Of the past,
when, in response to calls for meet
ings large and enthusiastic crowds
turned out and resolved to celebrate
and give the eagle an extra pinch
to make him scream all the louder on
the nations natal day. Then. too,
they remember how the flower Of
chivalrous young manhood respond
ed to the country's call for defenders
and how the pick of the city went
forth to sweat and fight the enemies
the insect world marshalled against
them on the humid slopes Of Chick
amauga, and their minds tell them
that the fire of patriotic zeal burns
here as it probably burns nowhere
else. Consequently it cannot be for
this reason that no more unanimous
and enthusiastic response was made
to the call for the meeting of last
night. ~
They also know that no matter how
their inclinations may run there are
plenty of people here who cannot go to
Helena, even when such a strong bid
as the dedication of the state capitol
invites them thither. They further
more know that many who can will
not go and that large as the city's
representation may be, it will be only
a very small proportion of it's actual
population and Helena need not
plume itself on the fact that for one
day at least it has robbed the town
of it's people.
Taking it up one side and down the
other, they have made up their minds
that it is indifference on one hand
and on the other the we'll known in
clination of so many to remain away
and let the s'other fellow" do the
work on an occasion of the kind, con-
tent to come in for a large share of
the fun and excitement with a modi-
cum expenditure of physical effort on
their wv part. that is responsible for
last nights fiasco.
But this is only poor satisfaction
to the men who were there last night
and who sat about the big, bare court
room waiting fer the crowd that fail
ed to come. And it does not lessen
their disgust any, for disguised they
are, and don't are who knows it.
If it is intended to celebrate some
thing will have to be done soon. The
time is short and much requires to be
done. But you need not figure much
on the men of last night. They will
help, of course. but it is doubtful
whether they could be persuaded or
driven into taking the lead again.
Once is enough for them.
The suggestion has been made that
in view of the apparent
popular Indifference manifested
so far it might possibly
he a good thing if some of the secret
societies were to take up the burden
and manage the celebration. The
subject has been preached to the
Elks, but they say they have all on
their hands just now that they rare to
undertake. They are practicing and
for a n;ast:e: show.
.eanwhile the gentlemen named
continue to ask thcnsc, yes the ques.
ton they cannot answer:
Is the spirit of patriotism dead in
Billings?
Veteran Writer Dead.