Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1905-09-20

in the sixth ward. A large crowd
listened to the address. and asked
to have the speakers come again.
We must make a specially of this
sixth ward. This is the truly pro-
letarian section of Helena. 1t is
the logical section for the cultiva-
tion of revolutionary sentiment.
If Helena ever elects a Socialist
alderman it will be from this ward.
The situation is similar to that OF
packing town ward in Chicago.
Comrade Simons said the conditions
there were so horrible that that was
the logical place for the revolution
to start, and the recent election OF
the Socialist representative from tha,
district justified the prediction.
Wednesday night there was to
have been another meeting al East
Helena. Comrade Louis Hanson,
secretary of the new local, a Dan
ish Socialist of 20 years standing,
was in in the afternoon, and spoke
of the favorable impression the
meetings had created. A misunder-
standing in regard to the street car
servise prevented the speakers from
getting out. As a result they at
tended the meeting of the Helena
local in the Office of the News.
Quite a number were present,
twelve dollars was raised on the
forty dollar debt, and arrangements
made for Comrade Hazlett's meet
ing at the Workingmen's Club
Thursday night. 1t has been de-
cided to hold two meetings a month
in the club rooms, the club having
made hospitable overtures to the
Socialists. 1t is possible that in
this way a test can be made as to
whether the American working man
really has stability enough to be
taught economics. or whether he
simply wants to guzzle and be pat
ted on the back by the capitalist, a
mild form of benevolent feudalism.
Seven applications for membership
were read, the result of the recen,
meetings.
1t has been decided to try and
do work in the mining country
surrounding Helena, and on Mon
day, Comrades Baur, Graham, and
Hazlett drove up to the Pittsburg
mine to see about speaking to the
men at the noon hour. They were
cordially received by Comrade
Harris, the valiant president of the
Aldridge union, which has been out
on strike for year. When the strike
was settled Harris was blacklisted
on account of his Socialistic pro.
pensities. and had to leave.
Arrangements we're made and
put up bills announcing a meeting
Thursday evening at six o'clock.
Thursday afternoon Comra d e $
Hazlett and Walsh went up to the
mine in an express wagon At six
O'Clock the men had their supper,
and the next shift did not go to
work until seven o'clock so there was
an hour to talk. 1t seems the an.
nouncement of the meeting had given
to considerable discussion. We
were told that the men were solid
republican and had said that Mrs.
Hazlett was crazy and all those
other comfortable and agreeable
things that the Socialist is accus
toned to hear. Some of the mer
were so afraid to be seen listening
to Socialist speech that in thai
/
God-forsaken loneliness, they strucl
across the bottoms TO get out oi
earshot. The poor deluded, ignor
ant slaves! But good crowd sa
down on the tumble piles ant
listened to the speech, and after.
wards we didn't find any sentiment
in opposion. Collection So. 90.
We had to make a rush trip down
tLa Hill in nrdar that Conrad a