Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1911-06-16
Guthrie as Defender

as Defender
Publisher Guthrie of the Choteau
+ tina has barred his breast and
stepped into the breach as the Of
fetal a~pologist for the county off
cials whom the Pioneer Press mild
ly censured in a recent issue be-
cause, as this paper saw it, the Of
fcials with one exception were
needless of the wishes and demands
of the people in the sections remote
from the county seat, especially in
the matter of patronage assignments
to the newspapers in the outlying
districts.
In the premises let it be under
stood that this censure of the Pho
neer Press did not carry with it an
insinuation of sharp practice on the
part of the Choteau paper, which
was mentioned as being the recip-
lent of the generous favors of the
county officials. Our friend Guthrie
is a man far above such suspicion
and a brother in the newspaper
making profession whom we esteem
very much. Were the publisher of
the Pioneer Press in his place be
would experience no qualms of con-
science being so generously favored,
nor would he consider that an ex-
PLANTATION or apology was due the
press or public of the county.
Mr.. Guthrie takes pains to declare
that the county officials are a bunch
of good fellows" Similarly stu
ated and favored with the same gen
erous patronage, the Pioneer Press
editor would doubtless hasten to
rush to their defense in similar man.
ner. The Pioneer Press accused
them-with one exception-of be-
ing Indifferent to the needs and
wishes of the people outside of the
Choteau territory. 1t ~reiterates the
statement. Mr.. Guthrie states that
the policy of the county officials
has been one of unvarying liberal
ity to all parts of the county,
Would Mr.. Guthrie be kind enough
to specify a few of the things that
have been done for this Cut Bank
community since the county became
organized? The trouble with our
county officials is that things have
been coming too easy. A conven-
tioh nomination and a circuit-riding
tour of the county shortly before
election day has been the extent of
Etheir contact with the world out
side. That's the reason why this
paper favors a primary election law.
The county officials will have to get
out on the hustings and meet the
people and then they will know
their minds, their hearts and their
desires. They are too clustered at
present and ought not to be too Sc
verely critisized for not being able
to feel the pulse" of the people
outside of the Choteau country.
Friend Guthrie goes off on sever
al tangents and talks of cabbages
and kings and other things like the
walrus in Alice in Wonderland.
This paper is advocating nothing
that is detrimental to Choteau's
chances in retaining the county seat
Of Teton county. This paper is a
well wisher of Choteau and has
printed many kind things about the
venerable Teton town, has it not Mr..
Guthrie? Neither is this paper en-
ploying the arts of the demagogue
in trying to create a feeling against
our county officials. A little criti-
cism will no, hurt them-and if a
paper like the Pioneer Press that
is favored with none of the county
loaves and fishes and expects none
does not use its prerogative as a
critic occasionally from what pub-