Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1905-10-25

of benefiting the community through
the extention of business.
Between all provincial cities of
from ten to a hundred thousand
inhabitants a constant competitive
struggle goes on with the object of
inducing outside capitalists to To-
cate industries in our midst" as the
local papers express it. Wordy
battles are conducted in the local
journals over this matter, and each
city vies with the Others in calling
attention to the desirable locations
for manufacture within its limits.
Offers of free sites, exemption from
taxes and other advantages are
made to attract capital. Baseball
teams, Fourth of July orators, who
read the Declaration of Independ-
ence in an impressive voice" stroll
ing showmen posing as carnival
companies" free exhibitions of fire.
works, labor and political conven-
tons, picnics and excursions from
neighoring cities are subsidized or
otherwire pressed into service with
the object of attracting people to
the city who have money to spend
Let the local labor union propose to
take its picnic out of the city on
Labor day and a reproachful howl
goes instantly from the local bust
ness interests. Only a few months
ago two provincial cities were at
daggers drawn with each other over
the hanging of murderer, which was
expected to draw a crowd of some
thousands of people who were in
turn expected to liven up trade by
their presence. The fortunate To-
cality that eventually secured the
gruesome spectacle was abused for
days afterwards for its hoggishness
and greed by the press of the un-
successful city.
More local population to exploit,
more wage slaves to rent the house
property and trade at the stores
these are the things which the typi-
cal middle class man of the smaller
cities has set before him to accom-
plish. Every thing else is second
ary to this. The local papers with
out exception give the impression
that if only the population were
doubled the city would become a
paradise. Like the middle class
property owner and storekeeper,
they hate the trust also.
But let the trust decide to esta-
blish plant in their midst and be-
hold the consequences. Does the
property holder of the middle class
and his mouth piece, the local jour
nal. attempt to repel the intruder !?
Not much. They don't even pre-
serve sulky silence. Their i'm
mediate interest prevails. In ina
gination they see a thousand wage
slaves drawn from other localities
wage slaves who will rent prop
erty and become customers. And
down they get. metaphorically speak
ing, on their bellies, and grovel like
spaniels before the newcomer. There
is no question about tainted money
no dread of the crushing out of COM
petition. That is to far distant to
enter into calculation. Sufficient to
the day is the evil thereof. This is
one of the good trusts" If it
were not good" it would not dare
to come into our midst" for above
all things we middle class people
and local property holders and tax
payers are moral"
The same consideration is shown
for the customer" The writer out
of sheer maliciousness, has often
tormented on of these little wretches
by inhicting on him talk of Social
ism, which was patiently borne with
Sinking and the rubbing of hands
on the part of the victim, who was
sustained by the expectation that his
torturer might possibly purchase