The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-11
FIFE BIELINGS GAZETTE.
KEPT ITS PROMISE.

Accepting the results as indicating
the conditions which obtained there
so far ash the political activity of the
Amalgamated company in Silver Bow
is concerned, it is very evident that
the company was in earnest when
through Mr.. Scallon it caused it to be
announced that mining and smelling
We're its business and not politics,
and hat it did not intend to take
part in the campaign in the interest of
any party or faction. When this
statement was published in newspa-
pers throughout the state it was ac-
cepted with many generous allow
ances. The people had not yet for
gotten how the old regime managed
such things and they waited to see
if the new would be any different and
if it would be really content with con-
Quoting its legitimate affairs and leave
decision of political questions and is
sues to the people. Judging from the
vote cast at Butte the company 'toted
fair" and it kept it's promise. The
success of the very element that was
in particularly arrayed against it
proves this. Whatever may be said
concerning that gentleman's contri-
button to the total of the result in the
state, it must be admitted that MI.
Heinze gained a decisive victory in
Silver Bow and Deer Lodge counties
yer the interests supposedly especial
ly friendly to the Amalgamated. The
fact is admitted by both of the lead
ing democratic newspapers of those
counties that involvment by Heinze
of the Amalgamated company was the
direct and sole cause of the utter de-
feat their party sustained there. They
claim that had he not made the Anal
gamated al issue the democrats would
have carried both counties. By work
ing on the p%rejudices of the voters
they admit he made possible both the
fusion victory in Silver Bow and the
labor victory in Deer Lodge.
The position of the Butte Miner
since the election is a peculiar one.
While still asserting itself to be I'm
slterably opposed to anything like
corporation interference in politics
and boasts of it's share in the demo-
cratic achievements of two years: ago
when it fought a faction of it's own
party as well as the republican for
the alleged reason that they were in
with the Amalgamated-I
it veiledly finds fault with the company
time because it remained politi-
cally inactive and neutral. The fol
excerpt from the leading edi-
torial in yesterdays issue of that
paper, written in reply to one con-
tanned in the Standard in which that
paper has it's say in regard to Heinze's
share in the undoing of the democrats
Of Silver Bow and Deer Lodge coun-
ties, will show this:
"It does indicate that the Amalga-
mated people in their efforts to dis
credit the Heinze. statement that they
were in politics, attempted 10 stand
SO straight that they leaned back
and really played into the
hands of their opponents"
This from a newspaper that was as
to the Amalgamated during
the campaign just ended a S vas the
Miner must be accepted as tolerably
strong proof that the company did
keep out of politics, in fact kept out
too devilish much to suit those who
would have had the fight go the other
way.
What holds good as regards the
non-interference in the
western part of the state also applies
in this section. 1t used neither its
money nor it's influence to affect the
result in any manner. 1t had given is
promise to the people and it kept 1t.