Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1907-09-05


that expects to make headway against
capitalist exploitation should support
capitalist printing shops. The work
ing class must make their labor press
q power. Publicity is the most effec-
tive weapon in combating the enemy.
Has the state a right to seize pri-
vate property in the interest of the
publicf Undoubtedly it has-any state
has that right. When Horatio Sey-
mour was governor of New York state,
strike occurred on the N. Y. Central
railway. The road was tied up and
business was suffering. Seymour was
equal TO the emergency. He sent for
the officials ana said to them, "Gentle-
men, this road was chartered to do
the business of common carrier for
the benefit of the people of the state.
will give you just twenty hours to
settle the strike and resume business,
or / shall seize the road and operate
il in the interest of the state. 'Tn less
than the stated time the officials had
made terms with the strikers and bust.
ness was resumed. That was the spir-
it Of true democracy in Seymour's
times and should be in our day and
time.
II rational law were carried out, the
people would own all telegraph lines
in the United States, as is contracted.
II any doubt it, let them examine the
records. Thore is a strike between the
owners and the workers in that line.
And when the telegraph system does
not do as was contracted, the only
thing to do is for the people to appoint
appraisers TO appraise the property.
This is provided for in the following
Postal laws postal Laws and Regu.
lations, pages SO, 81, 5s, Section 80,
companies to file aceeptance): "Before
any telegraph company shall exercise
any powers or privileges conferred by
law, such company shall in writing ae-
cept the restrictions and obligations
required by law Or. s. p. Z. 59-6s,
Section 96)" The United States may
for postal, military or other purposes
purchase all the telegraph lines, prop.
crty and effects Of any or all compa.
mics, acting under the provisions Of the
Act of July "a, 1866, entitled can
Act TO aid in the construction of tele.
graph lines and to secure to the gov
erDment the use of the same for postal,
military or other purposes" or under
this title at an appraised value by FIVE
competent disinterested persons, two Of
whom shall be selected by the Post
master General Of the United States,
two by the company interested, and
one by the four so previously selec-
ted Or. S. p. 52-67, Section 07.) The
following companies have filed accept,
ance pursuant to sectios %, prior 10
December s. 1892, and on the dates
respectively stated; "Wcstcru Union
Telegraph Company, June 3, 1867;
Postal Telegraph company, August 81,
1882; ninety-eight other companies,
which include every one ever organ
lied, have also signed. This agree
ment covers every mile Of telegraph
lines in the United States Why
shoudn Z the people take thcm9 They
are a menace TO the people, as they are
now in private hands. The people
have TO demand these laws carried out
that SO vtally affect their interests
But will they do it' Not till they
ara squeezed so hard, they can barely
live, Then they may take some political
action. They win have 20 act soon or
they will not have chance after a
few years, if persecution and prose
cution 60 on unhindcrcd