Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-05-04
A YELP FROM THE BUTTE MINER

great pleasure.
A YElP FROM THE BUTTE MINER
The puppet who does the dirty edl'
torlal work on w. A. Clark's person
al organ, the Butte Miner, casts a few
slurs at this paper for its stand in OPP
position to the repeal of the land laws.
As usual the writer assumes a lofty
contempt for a weekly paper, espec-
tally IL 1t does not worship at the
shrine of Montana's fraudulent sena-
tor. According to the editor Of the
Miner a paper must be a daily and
maintained at a financial loss by a
multi-millionaire to keep himself in
office before its opinions can be of
any value. After a futile defense of
Paris Gibson for his efforts to check
the growth Of this state by laboring
for the repeal of the land laws, the
Miner lies like a pirate in the follow,
ing. SO far as this paper is concerned:
For months. the contentious OF
Senator Gibson along these lines met
the general approval of the public,
and the tacit assent of the Republi-
can press; but when Tom Carter
again found himself securely in the
Republican saddle, word went out
that Senator Gibson must be con.
demned."
Mr.. Gibson has never represented
the sentiment of the west in his con-
tention and If he has other portions
OF the country IL is because, as Sena'
tor Teller intimates, the people know
very little about the actual situation.
As regards this paper, it has, for the
past two years, opposed the radical
views entertained by Senator Gibson.
as the readers OF the Argus well
know.
The people of the west want ma
tional irrigation, they want selections
made and lands set aside for that pGr,
pose where government works are
practicable. But to what extent is
this feasible?
In Fergus county, a region as large
as the states of Massachusetts, Rhode
Island and Connecticut combined, up
to-date, only two of such selections
have been made, and part OF the
lands OF n have already been with
drawn. 1t is hoped that other selec
lions will be made but government
surveyors have reported adversely il
a number Of instances owing to the
lack of water sheds and the genera
typography of the country.
The efforts to have the land law!
repealed by the recent congress de
veloped some facts or at least a sus
picion that it was not wholly in be
half of the people that such wholesale
legislation was being asked. Mentor
of the interests behind this move
ment have been referred to in thes'
columns. Inasmuch as the Democrat
ic press was quick to pronounce til
charge of railroad influence a trick O
Republican senators it gives us pleas
ure to quote from the speech of Ser
ator Henry NJ. Teller. of Colorado, dc
livered in the closing days of the sci
ate, on the repeal of the land laws.
Mr.. Teller was formerly secretar
of the interior and is familiar wit
the workings of the land department
He is not now a Republican and tn
Democratic press will be slow to in
pugn his motives or question his jud,
ment. In his speech Mr.. Teller sal,
among other things, that 'the friend
of the bill generally were found anon
those who knew least of the subject,
The senator further said, that mos
of the charges against existing law
have originated in Mr.. Maxwell
newspapers" and he contended ths
"the railroads would not make sue
extensive contributions except with
view Of enhancing the value of the.
land. Every step they had taken, b
said, had been in the direction of for
ing the land seekers to the railroa
lands" He denied that Colorado ha
suffered through the land laws.
,, The editor of the Butte Miner. ha'
ing been a great admirer and supper
er of Mr.. Teller, at least in the pa
few years, We trust 1t will give hi
credit for sincerity and some know
edge OF what he is talking about.
/ The editor of the Miner states a
other deliberate falsehood when
says, speaking of Senator Carter
administration when commissioner
: the general land office. that the /
[ terror department smelled to heave
!. when your Uncle Thomas worked Il
values in the land bureau"
1t was bf general comment and a