The Harlowton news. [volume] (Harlowton, Mont.) 1909-1914, 1910-12-09

clear light. In their leading an.
nouncement the following resume OF
the situation is contained:
The publishers of Montana Lands
Farms & Stock, the new farm maya.
zine which has now made it's home in
this city, find their magazine under a
boycott, carried on 10y the Merchants
Association of Great Falls.
While the first number of the mag
azine, which was designed to be ex-
ploitive of the resources of Great
Falls and its surrounding country,
WAS in preparation, the publishers
learned Of a bylaw of the Merchants
association which would forbid its
members patronizlng their periodical
unless it was classed by the ass ocia-
tiOn as q newspaper.
That they might have an open
field, and in order to be permitted to
submit their proposition to all classes
Of business men on its merits. an
effort was made to have the board of
directors of the Merchants associa-
ton pass resolution declaring that
in the opinion of the board the new
publication should be cIassed as a
newspaper. 1t was pointed out tothe
board, in session, that the magazine
had been Incorporated under the laws
OF Montana, had purchased it's own
material, had rented and fitted up an
office, and that one of the publishers
had taken a lease on residence
house, sent for his family, and would
make his home in Great Falls.
The board declined to grant the
request, upon the stated plea that it
did not have the authority to bind
the association. The promise was
given to refer the request to the next
general meeting of the organization.
After weeks of waiting, the pub
fishers managed to learn that the
date had been fixed for the general
meeting. They accol dinghy submitted
proposition for recognition. This
request was laid over for future &C
ton.
Note the sequel: The manager OF
a we'll known local business conce IN.
whose firm was member of the
Great Falls Merchants Association.
having made contract for $500
copies Of the first number or the mag
lzlne and page adverl isement there
in, but wishing to know what was
the attitude OF the association, called
up the secretary of that organization
and asked for information. He was
told that If he persisted in the con-
tract, his firm would be fined and
very probably expelled from the asso-
citation. Mr.. Hartman, business man
ager Of the magazine, who was at
hand, took the phone and asked to
have the statement repeated This
was done by the secretary of the as
ISOLATION, in the same set terms as
previously used with the manager of
The local firm who had signed the
contract for copies and space in the
magazine.
HE publishers, who had received
assurances Of similar patronage from
number of other firms who were
members of the Merchants associa-
ton, desisted, however, from at
tempts to secure the business which
had been promised.
The loss because of this boycott
has been considerable, but in spite or
1t the first edition has run to 10000
copies and the end Of the orders is
not yet.
The question will naturally occur
to the mind of the reader: "Why
should the new farm magazine be
boycotted?" The answer is simple
enough. The publication made
splendid presentation of the land re-
sources of the country about Great
Falls, and its circulation broadcast
would induce new settlers. New set
tiers in turn would mean new mer-
chants in Great Falls, and that in
turn Wonld mean that the strangle-
hold Of the Merchants association
would be broken. There was, and
there is, no oJher reason whatever.
And what about the effect of the
boycott upon Montana Lands, Farms
& Stock? Nothing more than to
stimulate its activities, but along
broader lines While its purpose had
been to contine itself to land settle
ment work, it will from this on en-
gage, with all the earnestness and
power it can muster, in the work of
TO Great Falls new men.
new money and new energy, and God
knows the city needs all three badly
enough.-Lewistown Daily News.