The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-08-08
WHAT IS A GOVERNMENT FOR:

secure the welfare Of the people. That
condition Of government may seem
Utopian, but il is by no means i'm
possible of achievement.
We are led into this dream by the
rush OF our state and federal officials
into the investigation of affairs at Butte
since the lynchlns OF Little. lnvestiga-
ton, of course. is necessary. but a
cursurv view of things brings the plain
conclusion that selfish political am
billions rule rather than any great
anxiety to serve the people.
Following the lynching of Little. At
torney General Ford ran post haste TO
Butte. United States pstric, Attorney
Wheeler. already on the ground. Of
tered the opinion that no arrests could
be made for insulting the flag or re-
as Uncle Sans scahs.'' Governor
Stewart was horror stricken and bent
upon the widest and deepest delving
into all facts relating to the lynchins.
our own Representative Rankin got
into the fray and announced that there
would he something doing at her end.
Other men have been lNnched in
Montana and there have been many
murders at Butte, but the thought
tinguished officials to get excited.
Why do they become SO excited
now? The answer is politics. nothing
more. our governor has cast 4 linser-
ing eye on the seat of Senator Walsh:
Mr., Wheeler is feeling his way toward
the governorship and Representative
ago, is preparing the framework for
campaign for the United States SEN
ate with an especial appeal for the
support of all disconnected elements in
Montana. We have not been appraised
of General Ford's plans, but it is
reasonably certain that he will be out
later with a fence repairing crew.
Since all of these officials are gifted
with intelligence, it may well be asked
why they did not show equal energy in
preventing conditions which led up to
the lynching Of Little:
Why were they not active in coun-
selling that unfortunate young man to
cut out his reasonable talk? Why did
they not cause his arrest immediately
after he had made insulting references
to the flag and the soldiers?
Why did they not investigate license
of speech at Butte when there was Yet
time to save Iittlc's life? Certainly not
for lack of warning. The Missoulian
the week before the lynching, empha-
sized the seriousness of the situation
and called upon the authorities to act.
If but 1.-THE of this strenuous ac-
tivity had been shown at the right
time the lynching would not have oc-
Cured.
once more We say that the answer is
votes. one need not be credulous to
believe that our officials were not over
anxious to stop Little's seditious talk.
a fair guess is that they were thinking
more of the votes of certain elements
in the next election rather than of the
tionary propaganda at a time when it
was most necessary to preserve order
in the state. And now after the lynch
ing they seem to us to be over zcaloils
in securing the favor of these same
clements
All facts with relation to any lynch
ing within the borders OF Montana
should be fully siftcd and reported just
AS any other manifestation of h,wIcss-
ness. but the work should be done
without playing to the galleries.
Any candidate for office at the COM
ling election will fall into grievous |
error If he or she thinks for Il moment |
that the great rank and file of law |
abiding. liberty loving citizens in this |
state will have nothing to say. The |
tc citizens OF Montana who have homes
and families 10 protect. BE assured |
That they will not render support to
any candidate who seeks the favor of
r"Nolu'ionists under any mask
What is Il government for if not TO
protect th" lives and property of its
citizens Let III. chosen representa-
tiN"S OF our government give all their
attention to tn. duties of maintaining
obrdi"nCc TO law. Whenever it becomes
necessary for the people OF any COM
mUntty To arrange for their own pro-
lection. "" ar" quite sure ! hat the
pihNr careers Of the officers of the
law who have failed in their duty will
u" at an end
The l'coplr are not too busy with war
to detect AMI sift out the four-tlush-
crS.
y maiden who lived in ST Joe
Wrote east to her Washington b,u,.
! can't be there in Jun"