The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-03-01
TINE TO STOP.

HlH ~ ASo~A ~ oSO
and the promptings of judgment de-
clare against Interference in a quar-
rel between others, but occasionally
an instance arises when an outsider
may intervene to the extent OF ex-
pressing open sympathy with one or
the other of the quarreling parties;
particularly so when one OF them in
his struggle for supremacy trenches
on the domains of those not involved
in the original cause of the row.
A case of that sort exists in the fight.
between Senator Meyer of Carbon
county and Postmaster Anderson of
Red Lodge. Because in his eagerness
to hit Mr.. Anderson a blow the sena-
tor fired a broadside that included
others he is now compelled to rest
under the criticism of those who
would otherwise maintain strict neu-
trality-the newspapers of the state.
The latter, particularly the country
press, have not forgotten the piece OF
legislation Mr.. Meyer sought to have
passed at the last session of the leg
islature, a bill that, if successful,
would have forced them to submit to
competition impossible for them to
meet.
To injure Mr.. Anderson he gave his
aid and support to the notorious An
derson bill, which in effect directed
that in the matter of receiving bids
for printing the commissioners OF the
different counties of the state would
have been obliged to award contracts
to foreign concerns. Of coruse, Mr..
Meyer had no fight with any of the
newspapers, except that owned and
edited by Mr.. Anderson, but this did
not prevent him from attempting to
injure all the others, so bitter was he
in his enmity to his home publisher.
That he failed does not alter the fact
Of his designs and intentions and the
publishers have undergone no change
of feeling. They remember his intent.
Failing in his effort in the legisla-
ture, the report here now has it that
Mr.. Meyer is e~ndeavoring to have the
court of his county call a grand jury
to investigate the acts of county Off.
Gals. The same report also has it
that this move is only another form
of the old fight with Mr.. Anderson
that he wants the action of the county
commissioners of Carbon county in
awarding Mr.. Anderson certain con
tracts inquired into.
Without attempting to say anything
as regards the contracts it is said the
gentleman thinks should be made the
subject of a legal investigation, The
Gazette is free to say that Mr.. Meyer
and many others entertain very err
roneous and exaggerated ideas in re
spect to the profits publishers make
on county printing. Home competi
ton is keen enough to impel the bid
ders to submit proposals far below
the rates the statutes say they are
entitled to. The discounts thus made
are often great enough to result il
actual loss on certain kinds of supplies
furnished, especially is this so in
the matter of blank books, which the
successful bidders, save in a very
lew nOLaDle EXCEPTIONS, are COmpell
ed to have made outside their owl
offices, not having the facilities fol
turning out that class of work. The
exceptions apply to the larger con
Germs at Butte, Helena and one OF
two other cities. Then in the matte
OF blanks, instances are not wanting
where counties receive them at prices
considerably less than individuals ar.
required to pay for them, and The
business men and all others who hav.
use for material of the class know
they receive them at rates admitted
Iv vary roocoroh1o