The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-10-30
THE COPPER WARFARE.

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The legal battle between F. A.
Heinze and the Amagamated Copper
company has been viewed by the
Montana public, until recently, with |
Indifference. The belief was quite
general that Mr.. Heinze had full con-
troll of the Silver Bow courts and to
that extent it was known that the
Amalgamated company was not get
ting fair deal. The majority of peo
pie, however, looked upon the fight |
as some one else's funeral and were
content to let them fight it out with
out interference. With three-fourths
of the copper mines, smelters and
kindred Industries Of the state closed
down. however, the matter takes on
an entirely different aspect. From
an attitude of indifference the public
suddenly aWoke to the keenest inter
est in the situation and different or
CARNATIONS of business men, labor
union and others are v1eing with each
other in their efforts to adjust the
difficulty to the end that the Amalga-
mated enterprises may resume opera
tons.
1t is the old story of whose OK is
gored, making the difference, for so
long as the fight affected only the
AmalgamatCd or its opponents the
public was content to let them fight
it out but when the fight affects ad
versely almost every person within
the state it is time for the public to
take a hand in the contest, not to the
extent Of favoring unduly either one
side or the other hut to the extent of
seeing that both sides are given
fair and impartial hearing, The
people realize for the first time how
closely their interests are allied to
those of the mining industry and the
result, no doubt will be an effort to
secure all litigants in their rights be-
fore the law.
The Amalgamated properties in
Montana are controlled by men who
for many years have been citizens
of the state and it goes without say
ing that they would not lightly in
flict an injury upon the people of the
state.
Under the laws OF Montana as in
terpreted by the supreme court the
judges of the district courts in this
state are all-powerful, for where
there is conflict of testimony upon
questions of fact the supreme court
will not distort the findings Of the
lower courts. and as the matters in
dispute over mines are almost entire
ly questions of fact the findings of
the district courts are practically
final and the mine owner who can
control the district court can confis-
cate the properties which adjoin his
ground That this is the purpose Of
Mr.. HeinZe is proven by his state
ment that his interest of Onefifteenth
of one per cent in the Boston & Mon
tana may come to represent one
tenth or more Of that property In the
event that the supreme court upholds
Judge Clancy's decision. 1t is plain
ly his purpose to wipe out of exist
ence the Boston & Montana stock
owned by the Amalgamated, amount
ing to 9S2 per cent Of the total, and
Montana stock, the same can be done
with Anaconda and other stocks
owned by the Amalgamated.
Aside from the question Of owner
ship of the various veins in dispute
between the Amalgamated company
and Mr.. Heinze is the broader ques
tion of securing to all Gtigants the
right of fair and speedy trial guaran
teed by the constitution Of Montana
and the fact that some 10000 men in
this state have recently been thrown
out of employment upon the eve OF
winter can he attributed to the vic
lation of that pledge in the constitu
tion.
The Amalgamated company is oh
1iged to carry the burden of prejudic,
that exists in the public mind agains
all trusts, but the Amalgamated trus
is one which affects the price of wha
Montana has to sell and not what sh
must buy, and for that reason its In
fuence upon the copper market ha
been of benefit to Montana. TIL
most prosperous times ever know