The Glasgow courier., 1916-08-04
EDWARDS MAKES STATEMENT

| al d COWdTUly, uHldlT ana UnCr0th.
full manner, Joseph M. Dixon, in an
editorial in one of his newspapers,
the Daily Missoulian, dated July 18th.
and headed Raising Dangerous Is
sue" opens the campaign of the Land
strum-Dixon forces in compliance with
the slogan adopted-eAnything to de-
feat Edwards"
The article, in part, treats of an al
legged attempt by myself and my
friends to insert sectionalism in NV
canvassing for nomination for the
United States Senate on the Republi-
can ticket.
The facts are as follows:
During the period of our Statehood
| CT years. the representation of Mon
tana in the United States Senate has
been taken from that portion of the
State where the principal industry
was mining. There is one exception
to this, namely, in the election of
Mr.. Paris Gibson of Great Falls by
Democratic Legislature for a four
year term in the Senate. At the
present time both of our United
States Senators are from Western
Montana, also one of the members of
the. House. The second member,
Hon. Tom Stout, is a resident of Lew
istown, located in Eastern Montana,
part of that section of the State whose
industries are almost entirely that of
farming and stock raising. In Mr..
Stout, these industries, together with
all other industries of the State, have
an able, honorable representative and
one whose retirement from politics is
generally regretted, regardless of par
ty affiliations.
For many yearst that portion of Mon
tana west of line drawn north and
south from the west line of Gallatin
County has contained a majority of
our population, with the principal in
dustry (then the largest industry of
the state) mining and our represen-
tative in the Federal Senate has each
and every time been chosen from that
territory, with the one exception CIV
/ EN-.
With the wonderful settlement and
development of that portion of the
State east of the line described and
whose every legitimate business is d.
rectly dependent upon the farming
and stock raising industry, the center
of population has changed from west
ern to eastern Montana, and the prin-
cipal or largest industry of the State
has changed from mining to agricul-
ture. No one doubts the fact that
in the past our representatives in the
Federal Senate from Western Mon
tana, have advanced the agricultural
interests of the State as best they
could, and after serving for ten years
in the State Senate from an agricul-
tural county, l defy Mr.. Dixon to
point to one single instance wherein
l have failed to support and uphold
the industries of Western Montana,
and would refer him to those worthy
citizens of his own home and county
who have given their time and ability,
when needed, towards advancing their
home interests, without hope of re-
ward other than general, to bear me
out in the assertion that without one
exception, during my legislative ex-
perience, l have worked for their in
terest and benefit. That the farmers
and stock raising districts should have
and are now entitled to direct repre-
sentation will be so considered by
every fair minded voter regardless of
party affiliations.
Mr.. Dixon insinuates that I am the
owner of newspapers" AS fact,
my only newspaper holding consists
Of stock in the Gazette Publishing
Company of Billings. l do not own
the controlling interest and in no way
control the policy or management Of
this property. A majority of the
stock and the management rests in
the hands of some Of the best citi-
zens of the City of Billings.
The facts leading up to the attack
by the Landstrum-D Dixon forces on me
are as follows:
In April, 1915, DR.. Landstrum. own
er of the Record Herald of Helena,
wrote a nonresident friend, as fol-
lows:
"WE HAVE FORMED A CON-
BINATION WHEREBY DIXON
WILL GO TO THE SENATE IN
1916 AND WE WILL GET THE
STATE TICKET"
The Doctors interests were selfish,
inasmuch as owner of the Helena pa
per his profits would be considerable
if he could only dictate and control
the nominations of the Republican
Party. However, silence was the or
der of the dav with the Doctor as to
the combination, until the fall of
1915. when to few intimate friends
DR.. Landstrum confded his plan. And
in February, 1916. Mr.. Dixon return
ed to the Republican party, entirely
ignoring the sincere and worthy rank
and file of the former Progressive
Party with whom he was affiliated
and who were patiently waiting gen.
eral call whereby all could return in
body.
A campaign for Mr.. Dixon's nomin-
alton for the United States Senate
was then launched by the Big -Four
which had developed out of the Land
strum- Dixon combination. This Big
Four being composed of DR.. Land.