The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent., 1922-08-04

Stoutly defending the loyalty Of
the Montana press to the people of
the state, Pete Snelson, editor Of the
Billings Gazette and president Of the
montana State Press association, in
an address before that body at its
annual convention at Missoula. de-
nounced a. false and unwarranted
charges which he said had been made
against Montana newspapers by an
individual representing . group Of
eastern bankers and investors to the
effect that Montana papers had not
sufficiently encouraged their own
people by printing Sunshine news as
opposed to gloom" In regard to the
crop prospects of 1922, and by fail
ing to take proper note of the optim-
istic conditions governing In livestock
and wool growing industries and
mines and oil development.
Snelson asserted that 1t had come
within his personal knowledge that
Montana bankers, "than whom" he
said, there are no more loyal Mon
tanans and none more interested in
the welfare Of our people," had warn
ed individual members of the Mon
tana press against becoming over
optimistic at q time when there was
still possibility of disappointment in
connection with the harvest of 1922.
More Complete Harmony
He saw In the situation, however,
evidence that Montana newspapers
and Montana bankers are not work
ing on a sufficiently common ground,
and recommended to the association
that a Montana banker and an east
ern investment banker from some
point where Montana Investments are
Of importance, be invited to appear
on the next convention program, ex-
pressing the belief that the inter-
change OF views would lead to more
complete harmony which will greatly
advance the development Of Mon
tana's infant resources. Snelson also
warned his fellow newspaper men
against the dangers of radicalism
which he declared are spreading
throughout the country and urged
Montana editors to keep ''their hands
to the editorial plow with unremit-
ting energy" and ''kindle the fires Of
patriotism where they have have re-
fused to burn and feed anew the
flame Of loyalty where It has flicker
ed and waned," in the endeavor to
supplant idleness with industry and
teach that liberty IL not license.
He said in part:
Not Profitable Year
"The crop year Of 1921 was not a
profitable one for Montana. At the
close Of the season the farmers were
In the dumps because of the limited
production and the low price for farm
produce. The stockmen were dis
couraged and many Of them were lit
orally hanging ON by their eyebrows.
A great industrial depression had
closed the mines OF Butte and the
smelters Of Anaconda and Great Fails
and the raw mills Of the Lumber re.
Stons. Business generally was at q
very low ebb.
I'm the face Of these difficulties
the press of Montana has carried mes.
sages Of cheer and optimism into the
homes of the residents Of the Trea.
sure state. There has never been a
week when the newspapers Of Mon.
tana have ceased to impress upon
their readers that Montana is all
right: that she has the resources OF
an empire; that she has been but pas.
sing through the vicissitudes which
every other great state in the west
has suffered and that as Kansas and
Nebraska In years gone by weathered
the hot winds which cooked the corr
In its infancy, and the grasshoppel
plaques which cut the wheat even
with the ground, so would Montana
rise triumphant over all obstacles tc
become greater than any Of them.
Support Forward Movement
"There has never been q time when