The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-01-24
The River Press
Published every Wednesday Morning
by the River Press Publish
ing Company.
GOVERNMENT eY THE PEOPLE.

w
The most encouraging sign OF the
times is the tendency toward really
representative government in local,
state and national affairs. The trend
is all toward placing the control OF
aft airs in the hands of the people by
removing it from clique or machine.
In Montana We failed miserab(y in
the attempt of 1911, but we are sure
to win the next time, says the Missou.
lian. The great interests which de-
feated our purpose will not be able to
do it the next time and, as surely as
there is another year coming, so sure.
~ will we have an adequate and ef'
fective primary election law In Mon
a. So long have these interests
dictated the course of affairs In Mon
tana that they surrender reluctantly
the power which they have held so
long.
Montana is determined to have the
control of her affairs placed in the
hands of the people and not in the
Offices OF great corporations. And so
it will be written, we believe, in 1912.
The people of Montana will speak in
no uncertain terms, they will declare
for the primary election law and will
demand that it will be made generally
applicable.
In this attitude Of the people there
is nothing hostile to the rights of the
corporations; there is nothing confis.
catory. The corporations have done
much for the development of Montana;
they have acquired rights which must
be recognized and respected. And in
the attitude OF the public there is no
failure in this recognition or In this
respect.
But it should be borne in mind that
the part which these corporations have
played in the development OF Mon.
aana was not assumed through phil.
antropic motives and it should be
constantly remembered that their con-
tribution to the advancement of the
material interests of the state was
made wholly that they might profit by
the investment. They do not own the
state because they have holdings here
which produce millions for their tire as.
uries; they own the state because the
people have permitted them to
obtain control of it; they will forfeit
this ownership when the people wrest
it from them. But when they forfeit,
the dictation of the states selection O.
officers, they will forfeit nc RICH,
which is justly theirs.
There is no spirit of hostility to tn
rights of the corporation in the de
msnd that the people choose their owl
officers and select their own represen
tatives. But the people have rights
which are entitled to recognition and
these rights have been disregarded tc
an extent which is d~isgraceful to the
state. Whether it Is in connection
with the rates which they pay for the
transportation of their freight or ir
regard to the proportion Of taxes
which they pay for the maintenance O.
the government-the people hav'
rights which are as much entitled t
recognition as are the rights OF tn
corporations, and it is certain tina
these rights of the people have beef
disregarded to an extent that ha
placed an unrighteous share Of tn
burden of expense upon the shoulder
of the small consumer and the littl
owner.
In the demand that the rights of th
little fellow be guarded, there is no,
we say, hostility to the rights OF tn
corporation. The demand for popu
lar government Is merely an insistenc
upon fair play and the square deal.