The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1916-05-05
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fathers have rendered service to hui
mainly, to their country and to their
own homes which will compare favor
ably with the service rendered by such
men as Mr.. Collins.
For the people advocating prohi-
bition to publicly proclaim tina: every
newspaper which dares to publish an
argument against prohibition, has
been "basely sold out to the liquor in
terest and vice trust" is nothing short
of a falsehood and MI. Frank Collins
knows it.
There are newspapers IN Montana
which honestly believe prohibition to
be an economic mistake. They have
a right to this opinion and it does
not follow that their editors have sold
out to the liquor interests any more
than a paper advocating prohibition,
has been "basely sold to the fanatics"
as some people might say.
There is another class of newspap-
ers which deserve the contempt of
their readers. This class of news
papers consists of those who have
been ~terrorized by the prohibition adj
vocates and told that they will be
placed on a blacklist and their bust
ness ruined if they dare to oppose
prohibition. AS much as it is to be
regretted, there are papers having
editors with fishworr, backboasss
which deny the liquor interests space
which have been told by local COM
mittees that they must deny the
liquor interests space in their columns
or get out of, business. There r
a few which have become subservi.
ent to the prohibition forces because
of fear. Nothing but contempt of
their readers is their reward.
Some four hundred Butte business
and professional men recently pub
lished a statement on the prohibition
question and asked the people Of that
city to oppose prohibition. Their
statement was temperate and couch
ed in language of courteous discus
sion. Instantly it was met with .
violent storm of abuse and ~villifca-
ton in the official prohibition organ
and this assault on the business men
of Butte was sent out broadcast over
the state as q red. flag of warning to
the business men of other cities not
to dare express their opinions along
similar lines.
Now these Butte business men had
a right to send out their statement
and appeal to the people to oppose
prohibition, and by so doing they 10
not indicate for a minute that their
ideas of life or morality r n bit
lower than those of a similar number
of men who might send out an appeal
to people to vote FOR prohibition.
as partners of viciousness and crime,
To brand the business men of Butte
is nothing short of a libel and it is
only to be regretted that the people
responsible for sending out such at
tacks on the men and women of Mon
tana cannot be put away safely where
the dogs will not bite them until they
recover from their mad unreasoning'
The right to fair public discussion
of state policies is a fundamental one,
and only a fanatic will accuse a man
or woman ~disagreeing with him OF
being a fool or a knave.
The fine men and ONE of Mon.
tana have demonstrated their ability
to develop here a great, prosperous
and growing commonwealth without
prohibition. 1t is possible that Mon
tana will continue as one of the white
stars in the American flag even il
prohibition is not adopted at thi'
time.
No good to the state will be &C
complished if agitators from othe'
states are to be brought into thi
state to join the over-zealous, an
continue a campaign of abuse, Will
fcation and scandalous methods o
intimidation aimed tn terrorize tn
voters into abject subsection upol
questions which are still open to de
bate even in states which r classe'
as "dry."
The issue is getting away from tn
~roh;h:<:ou uooctsnn altnuothor 1