Arizona republican., 1903-11-13
In Montana.


weeks has hung over the state of Mon
tana has been lifted. Twenty-one
Thousand miners who had been thrown
out of work by the controversies be-
! tween Augustus Heinze and the Anal
gamated Copper company have re-
turned to work. The feeling of relief
will not be confined to Montana. In
a sympathetic way the whole Rocky
Mountain region would have been de-
pressed before long by the industrial
stagnation in the north. 1t was a
selfish and short-sighted view to as
sumo that the idleness of Montana
copper mines would make for the
greater prosperity of copper districts
elsewhere. Industrial ruin can prevail
in no section of the United States with
out hurting more or less directly all
other sections. There is reason for
general felicitation, therefore, that
Montana has emerged into the sun
shine of prosperity again.
With the details of the quarrels be-
| tween the copper operators of Mon
tana the public has not been greatly
| concerned. 1t has known in a general
way that the trouble between Heinze
and the Amalgamated people has aris-
en- over that always fruitful source
of mining litigation-the question of
following ore bodies beyond the "side
lines" of mining claims. and the iden-
tifying of the ore bodies found at
depth as belonging to these claims. 1t
has been impossible. accordingly to
say which party to the litigation was
in the wrong, and the public has not
cared to go into that phase of the
question. General interest in the sit
uation has been confined to the indus
trial depression and the possible suf=
fering of thousands Of workingmen.
But in Montana the resumption of
work in the mines of the Amalgamated
company will not mark lapse of local
interest On the contrary, the special
session of the legislature will afford
abundant material for driving away
such ennui as may afflict the natives
of Butte, Helena and Anaconda. It
will be remembered that the Amalga-
mated people closed their mines be-
cause. as they alleged, it was impos-
sible to get justice from the courts
wherein they had been litigating with
Mr.. Heinze. Governor Toole has called
an extraordinary session Of the legis.
lature for the purjose of getting a law
which will permit a change of venue
in cases similar to those now before
the courts. II is understood that the
Amalgamated company is confident
that this law will be enacted, and for
that reason has resumed the opera
tiOn of its mines. 1t is assumed that
Mr.. Heinze will try to defeat the pas
sage Of the proposed measure, and in
that event the thrifty Montana legis-
lature will make hay while the sun
shines.
And, from all accounts, the Mon
tana legislator can give points to a
Tammany graduate In tn" science of
graft. Corporations and candidates.
however honest of mind must pay
heavy tribute to the grafters or they
can get nothing from a Montana leg
islature. Some years ago. back in the
early nineties, to be more specific. il
became necessary to elect two United
States senators at the same session
of the legislature, because a party
deadlock at a former session had left
Montana with but one rsenator, whose
term was now expiring. Moved bv
one of those sentimental freaks of the
mind to which highwaymen OCCASION
ally submit, the legislators decided to
be generous in filling one OF the va
cancies. By common consent it was
admitted that Mr.. Scandso was err
titled to a seat in the senate and he
was elected without a cash considera-
ton. More than that, the proud states
this candidate to spend a cent for any
incidental purpose, although he was
wealthy. The legislators would not ac-
cept as much as a cigar from Elm
You are entitled to this election with
out expense" they told him, because
those guys down at Washington re-
fused you seat when you were ap-
pointed to it, and so we have elected
you. But you see 10 il that you keep
your hands out Of this fight for the
other seat. We're a-goin' to pinch to
fareyewell the geezers that are after
that seat, and the galoot that's elect
ed will have to borrow car fare to
get out of town"
And they kept their word. Tradi-
ton has it that the money in circu-
lation per capiter" had such an in
crease that winter that even the pop
rlists lost interest temporarily in the
paramount silver question.
Our readers will rptOaunha- orr r,o