Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1907-04-18
Lecture Tour
i'm Idaho
A Trip Through the MinidOka Sage
Brush COuntry-A COmmun.
ity of CO.OperatOrs

Boise and went to Mountain Home.
Had been referred to George Maloney
by Comrade Coonrod, but had received
no answer TO my letter. As Comrade
Coonrod had said that the condition
of the orga nization there was about
the same as all over the state no
dues coming in and no agswsr to
letters, L had concluded that Noun
tain Home was just spelling for q
shake up, and that it was a good place
for me to stop. The conclusion, based
on long years of experience proved
not to be amiss. Comrade Gary Of
Boise had directed me to an old friend
of his, George Payne, editor of the
democratic paper. Mr.. Payne helped
me to find the socialists in the place.
I found Maloney running for mayor
on the citizens ticket, on a "dry"
platform. He had occupied a place in
the city administration for seven years.
He was hopelessly showed under when
the votes were counted. Another So
cialist was running radical newspa.
per. He received me quite cordially,
took me to n hotel and stood good for
my keep" said he would help me
with the meeting in the evening, but as
the time sped by and it was getting
late and no one appeared, was con
strained to find a chair, take it out in
front of the hotel, mount il, and in
the chill air begin to halo to attract
attention. A crowd gathered round
and so beginning was made. But
we are past the date when a socialist
is alone in any town now. At a call
for socialists to help at the close Of
the meeting four or five working men
responded, and went over to the hotel
with me-
The next day there was considerable
talk about getting the hall, but az the
advertising was not put out till the
day after / got there il was thought
the meeting could not be properly an
nounced, so j took the street again
although the evening was raw and
chilly. contracted hoarseness that
has remained with me throughout the
trip.
The meetings were far ahead Of
nothing, however, collections were
good AMI a large amount of sub.
scriptions and literature was sold.
The trouble at Mountain Home 10 that
q number Of those who have been
prominent in our movement have gone
of after false gods, but a number Of
solid socialist working men were dis
covered that will yet build a good
movement there.
Socialism and Jupiter Pluvius al
Glenn's Ferry.
At Glenn sc Ferry I was met at the
train by Comrade w. g. Bryant, one of
those faithful old workers who are
always on hand to do something for
socialism. He took me to the home Of
Comrade Pechart where I found a
most hospitable welcome during my
stay. The weather was against us az
it poured with little intermission dur
ing the g days. As IL was, the meetings
which were held in n hall, were not
so well attended as we could have
wished. The seats were well.flled
however.
Glenn's Ferry is one Of those places
where the socialist movement has new
or aroused the slightest enthusiasm.
IL is railroad center, and to see
those brakemen, switchmen, engin.
GERS and so forth, barely getting
enough to fll their mouths, and hang
ing on to a precarious job, and talk
ing capitalist politics, and how the
capitalist supports them, and what
good man Gooding is and steunen.
berg was, and how the men got all
that was coming TO them in the bull
pen, and the Federation men are gull.
ty, and all that sort of a truck, is
enough to make one ashamed Of the
lickspittle spirit that capitalism has
begotten in labor. A socialist ardent |
ly wishes that the spirit may be Jared
out of them by bitter facts.
What Glenn's Ferry needs is n ser
les Of rattling street meetings in the
summer time. Yet this is the first
point in the state had met that was
paying dues.
Tho Minodoka Project
The next part of the route was down
on the branch that runs through he
Minodoka government project.
government scheme has been com