The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-06
Vets Of Montana Seek to Make
Mining Company the Goat in
Slush Fund Scheme.
LONG BEEN TARGET
OF GRAFT WORKERS
Fake Commercial League,
Manipulated BY Profession
ais, Is Organized; "Taxpay-
ers'" Plan Used To Touch
Operators.

Helena, Mont. June S.-Joseph
Pope. superintendent OF the Montana
Anti-Saloon League, after two weeks
Of Investigation. has brought to the
sunlight one of the most desperate
and cunning attempts to coerce the
largest industry in Montana and COM
pei 1t to come across with slush
fund to finance the whiskey campaign
and fight against the pending State
wide prohibition.
The Anaconda Copper Mining Com
pany is the most powerful interest in
the State. In times past the company,
controlled by men long since deceased,
was Justly censured for participation
in political matters of the State. but
1t has since passed into the control
of men interested in high ideals and
has sought to deserve the good will
of the people in many ways.
It has been the target for grafters
and political crooks OF every kind
and shape. Because 1t IL rich and
strong. the concern has been looked
upon by crooks as good thing to
bleed.
The saloon interests are conduct
ing their campaign under the alias Of
the Montana Commercial League.
managed by two professional vets,
j. NJ. Kennedy and Sam w. Tea
garden.
Sometimes just Hold-Up.
Several attempts have been made
by good men and bad men to pass
measures to compel the mining COM
panies to pay heavy additional taxes.
Sometimes these attempts have been
made by good men who really thought
that the companies should pay more
taxes and sometimes by grafters who
Ia - yNarofv tn Attem nf
some kind of q. hoid-up.
Some time ago Teagarden and Ken
nedy devised a great scheme. They
accordingly called a meeting OF the
vets. to DO held in Helena. About
twenty wet leaders met behind shed
door and got down to business. J..
P. Foust. of Libber. was one of the
principal speakers. 1t was urged that
II the screws could be put on the
mining companies. and particularly
or the Anaconda Company. those In
teres.s could be forced to come
across with an enormous siush fund
and also force the company to line
ND on the side OF the saloon in the
Statewide dry campaign.
1t was discussed at the meeting
that a country lawyer. of Chinook. w.
p. Sands, could be used to initiate a
petition for a bill to soak the mining
companies per cent additional taxes
Sands was a dry and considered harm
less. so it was decided not to let Sands
know exactly what was promoting the
measure. Other drys were mentioned
who could be worked in this way. 1t
was finally agreed that they would
secretly push the measure. getting in
behind Sands and other drys, and
make It appear that II was q dry mea-
sure.
Sent Out Petitions.
The upshot of the matter was that.
three weeks ago. Sands began send
ing out the petitions. Teagarden and
Kennedy then began anonymously
sending Sands list of addresses of
farmers organizations who would like
ly be caught In the trap. wet law
yer at Kaltspell, who was into the
game, also began sending out junk
advertising the per cent tax.
When the government got under
way an official of the Anaconda Com
pany was called into a secret meeting
and was ordered to come acroas With
big roll Of money to defeat the al
legged dry project which Teagarden
and Kennedy themselves were secretly
promoting. 1t was also put square
up to the Anaconda ofncials to get
into the game and help beat State
wide prohibition because. they said.
the drys were melting the big tax
measure.
The Anaconda people had been
once before then touched" by Tea
garden on another scheme and. after
a heated discussion of the matter. the
Kennedy and Teagarden has-been out
fit were fatty invited to go to the
hot place.
Instead Of going there Kennedy
and Teagarden went back to their
den to devise ways and means to