The Daily Missoulian., 1917-08-24
Did Miss Rankin
Declare Montana
Copper-O Olvned?"
Story Of Disputed Article
Traced to Beginnings
by Missolllian.

/ Inc controversy which has arisen as
4 result OF Miss Jeanncttc Eank!n's
! now famous interview in the WASH
! ihEton Times OF August 8. has nS.
| Soihcd proportions which prohably
| even Miss Rankin herself did not fora
! soc when She gave thn intoryiew--if
| indeed, sh" gave IL, Throuehort NJ,
! lnited States. this interview has hn,p
printed. with the result that the er,ot
est interest has been aroused Eowhnr,
IN the nation has the interest hccn
greater than in the representatives
home stat" Of Montana and this, her
home town
The charge which has caused IA,
chief discussion and the statement
"hich MISS Rankin now denies she
ihaue wan To III" effect that Montana
's owned. body ana soul by the Ana
c"nda copper Mining company. "rhcy
own the state. They own IN. Govern
n'ht. They own the press" SHE Is
reported to hav. stated.
MiSsoul,an Took Execution.
The Missoulian was one ar hc
newspapers which took execution 10
Miss Rankin's alleged statemen, re-.
sardihs' the states newspapers. As y
result OF this interest this newspaper
mas been at some pains to trace from
Us beginning the Chronological story
"' Miss Kankin's interview as printed
IN N" Washington Times and tho re-
snltinE controversy.
Ihe interview in tho Times was
written by Miss Gertrude Stevenson.
a member Of the Timcs' staff. Miss
stevenson was accompanied upon tho
occasion OF the interview BY Mr., Ti,Icr
or the Times, also an cxpcricncca
newspaper reporter. a part of tho in.
tervicw. that part which Is pertinent
to the present discussion, follows. OK.
actlv rs It was reported in the columns
OF tho Times:
The Disputed Interview.
'Jeannettc Rankin w. The Gopher
Trust.
THAT is tho net result OF tho first
conTresswomnns first speech one
lone woman fighting one OF the LARGEST
corporations In the world.
one doesn't have to be very init.
| matoly acquainted with the history Of
the west to know what has invariably
| happened to those persons sufficiently
brave and sufficiently blind to their
own interests to buck the Ama,ro.
| mated in the past.
Death sudden disappearance. no.
htical ruin and similar fates mark
the iran of individuals who have dared
10 caii this octupus to account And
yesterday as | heard Jeanette Rankin
caii upon the government OF the coun-
Try 10 Wrest from the metal trust some
II not all OF the power 1t has built IN
Tor decades. | wondered If this slender
woman. alon" OF all hcr sex in that
great legislative body. realized what
might happen to her as a result
Later in the day found Jcanncttc
Rankin knows perfectly well lust what
to expect from the powers that rule
IN" great mining regions of the state
from which this David in pctticoots
cam" to congress: knows as only ono
who has lived and worked and fought
In the state they control can know IT,
Own the State, She Says.
~ think know perfectly well what
the Amalgamatcd will try to do to me,
MISS Rankin declared, her eyes spark
ling and her ready smile showing that
she rather enjoyed the prospect than
otherwise. They'll try TO do to me
| Just what they have done TO everyone
| who ever tried to oppose them In and
out OF Montana. They own the state.
They own the government. They own
| the press
FIRST III be roasted from one end
or the state to the other. Every news
paper Will print my shortcomings. real
or fancied. in the largest type in the
| composing room. All the mud and an
IN" bricks In the state Will come hlrtl-
| ing In my direction.
"'fon see. ! know the methods per-
f"r'ly. Years ago they used to do
desperate things to people who fought
| them. Their methods are gradually
becoming more refined.
Now they use political ruin, social
| ostraclsm. financial ruin, in fact an
the things which usually go To make
life worth Will" to the average per
son Years ago they use to put people
out of the way that tried TO oreaniza
tn" miners. Now. AS you read in the
daily press. they simply d"port them
The result is the same
Doesn't Fear for Life.
They'll do everything to discrcdit
me. both here in Washington and in
my own state. They probably won't
| assassnate me, because, as | have cX-
planned. they use somewhat more
| subtle methods now than in the old
| days
But Jeannette Rankin doesn't care.
Sh" isn't afraid. She went into the
fight with her eyes wide open
"If the Amalgamated prevents m,
ever returning to congress- she went
on, rll at least have the satisfaction
of having done what I could for my
constituency while l was here / didn't