The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-10-19
MOVE TO CHECK
BAD PROPAGANDA
FORSYTH CHAMBER OF COM
MERGE TAKES LEAD IN
COMMENDABLE CAUSE
Untruthful Reports Have Been
Broadcasted About Nation Regard
ing Montana Conditions; Co-Opera-
ton Asked.

In an effort to initiate movement
to stop the sending out of Montana of
unfavorable reports, either founded
on misinformation or upon untruths,
the circulation of which, especially
in the East and Middle West, has ma
terially damaged the business and
industry of the state, Secretary E. L..
Beard of the Forsyth chamber of
commerce has sent out the following
letter to more than 125 Montana
newspapers and commercial organi-
cations:
Cali parts of Montana have been
seriously hurt during the past year
| by untruthful reports or by state
ments of persons who are misinform-
ed as to the actual conditions which
prevail in the state. These mislead-
ing reports have gained large circu-
lation, either by word of mouth or
through the public prints, with the
result that every business and indus
try in the state has suffered damage
which has caused untold discomfort
and serious monetary loss.
"No doubt this condition is caused
largely by the fact that when the
price of wheat went down, farmers
of the Northwest registered a vigor-
Gus protest and asked for govern
ment aid in stabilizing the market
price of that necessary commodity.
Knocks Broadcasted
Whatever the reason, many UNI
favorable reports have gotten into |
the eastern newspapers and every |
report of adverse conditions here is
snapped up by the great news gather
ing agencies and broadcasted through |
their news disseminating channels.
"a recent report of one of the lar
gest advertising agencies in New
York City, concern of nationwide
reputation, and which, in the pursuit
of its own affairs, keeps finger on
the business pulse of the entire world
shows that many thousands of dol
lars for publicity and investment,
which would otherwise have been
spent in Montana, has either been
kept out of circulation or used else
where.
eve people of Montana know that
this condition exists and we must
fact the issue squarely; first, by edu-
eating ourselves to the true condi-
ton of affairs, by drowning our pes
simism in the wave of optimism
which is bound to follow this cam
paign of self-education and, second,
by allowing nothing but truthful and,
where the condition justifies, optim- {
istic reports, to be sent out of the ,
state.
Reports of the state department |
Of agriculture, of business houses {
throughout the state, of the great in s
1ustries, show that there is no basis
in fact for most of the adverse criti-
cism. There is little wrong with
Montana, but imaginations have
made it appear there is much.
"a concerted move on the part of
civic and commercial organizations
Of the state can do untold wonders in
again getting Montana in favorable
light before the eyes of the world.
Will you join with the Forsyth cham
Der of commerce in such a move? If
you will, believe the following plan
will be found effective:
A Constructive Program
Impress upon the minds of every
'esident of your city and community
IN unbounded faith in the future of
Montana; make optimism the creed
# your community; make thorough
urvey of the conditions in your COM
nunity and see how we'll they COM
'are with other sections which are
lot complaining of their condition;
tut a stop to the issuing of enron
ous adverse reports; cooperate with
newspapers of Montana in the broad
asting of news reports which put
he state in its true light as one of
he richest commemorative of the ma
ion and one which holds out I'M
United possibilities for the investor
nd the farmer.
In asking your cooperation in
his move, the Forsyth chamber of '
commerce does so with the feeling "
hat there Is actually nothing the u
natter with Montana except in the Il
n1nds of few demogogues who "
'ould create a wrong impression for IL
he sake of small personal gain. They a
nd another group who have for va fl
ious reasons talked freely upon sub b
ects upon which they are not pro-
erly informed, have done untold n
IL
Cooperation in this campaign
mong people who are vitality inter G
sted in the welfare of Montana, and II
believe this includes every person p
wing within the boundaries of the hi
tate, will, within few months, W
sher the Treasure state into the il
reatest era of prosperity it has ex- st
erienced in it's history" ri