The river press., 1904-10-26
DISCUSSING STATE ISSUES.


at the enthusiasm with which severa
democratic newspapers are discussing
the state issues of this campaign
Nothing like it has ever occurred in th'
political history of the Treasure state
The big guns of the Montana demo
cratic press are giving daily exhibi
tions OF strenuous loyalty to the state
issues made prominent in their party
platform, and are making more or less
earnest efforts to impress upon the
voters the necessity of saving the com
monwealth from destruction by sup.
porting legislative reforms that will
safeguard the interests Of the people.
The paramount plank of the demo.
cratic state platform is an Endorsement
OF Governor Toole's recommend alton
that an initiative and referendum
amendment to the constitution be SUBJ
mitted to popular vote. The leading
democratic newspapers OF Montana,
OF course, are heartily in favor of this
proposition. Those who doubt the
sincerity of democratic promises in
this connection will have all such sus-
picion removed by referring to the
Helena Independent of the 18th inst,
in which this unqualified support of
the initiative and referendum is given:
Manchuria is SO far away from the
United States, and the nations there
graphing for supremacy being of diff
ferent races from our own, we fail to
have brought home TO us the frightful-
ness of the conflict. We read of the
estim ated slaughter of 10000 human
beings within the past week and com.
par atively few OF us realize the full i'm
port OF that statement.
Another important state issue is the
demand for direct primary law, and
this proposed reform receives almost
as hearty support from the leading
Montana democratic newspapers as is
given to their party candid ate for
president. One of the strongest demo-
cratic advocates Of direct primary
law is the Butte Miner, owned by Sen
ator w. A. Clark, which gives the
proposition this effective endorsement
in it's issue of the 18th inst:
The law Of compensation is beauti
fully illustrated in a report compiled
by the Chicago board of health show
ing that Bright's disease, resulting
from irregular living, over-eating,
over. drinking and other excesses has
increased two-thirds among the
wealthy classes in twenty-five years,
while poor persons are practically
free from the at1liction.
1t has been claimed that the demo.
cratic party was the first to discover
the necessity for a railroad commits.
sion in Montana, to prevent discrimi-
nation and obtain fair transportation
charges for the people Of the state. A
demand for this reform was made in
the democratic state platform, and
there has been keen rivalry between
democratic newspapers as to which
shall present the strongest argument
for the enactment of this desired legis-
lation. The winner in the contest will
probably be the Anaconda Stand ard,
which supports a railroad commission
bill with more Or less fervor, its
strongest effort appearing in its issue
of the 18th inst. to this effect:
Mr.. Henze's silly parade of him
self as the ''defender' Of the people OF
Montana has degenerated to Il point
where, presently, he will be a laugh
ing stock: it doesn't occur to the mind
of any intelligent citizen that he is in
any need whatever Of Mr.. Heinze' 5
protfered protection. His 'parties'
are reduced, for their operation, to
the area of Silver Bow county: he will
get the votes of men whose votes he
pays for, and Of some men whom any
fairly adroit operator can fool all tho
time.
Confronted with this proof that the
three leading democratic newspapers
OF Montana are earnestly supporting
their party platform, those who have
accused them of apathy or hostility
toward the reforms mentioned should
hereafter abstain from such evidently
unjust criticism. The assertion tha,
the Helena independently, the Butte
Miner and the Anaconda Standard
are not in sympathy with the demo
cratic state platform, must be in
spired by partisan malice or a desire
to tell the truth.