The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-11-16

t lstration sentiment of Idaho, an,
: Tor the same reason, that it wa
overrun by southern men, escaping
from draft into the Confederate
army"
Belligerent Non Combatants
This was half the story. 1t shoulc
further read that many of these fu
gitives tarried in Colorado, unit
its war governor called for draft
of Union men, when the southern
ers quickly Were over the border
and ava" into Idaho, the neigh
boring territory. Like most non
combatants, this southern element
was more belligerent than one
which had learned from experience
the true inwardness of war; and it
was this element, constituting as it
did the majority of the voters of
Montana, with which Governor
Edgerton, chosen representative of
the Lincoln administration, had to
deal.
Quoting further from Montana
histories, Joaquin Miller tells us
the governor was "a little too
eager to drag in the war that had
been raging so fierce and so far
away" Miller further claimed that
this war agitation (Which not only
"had been" but was then "raging")
did not appeal to the southerners,
who were more interested in the es-
tablishing of law; the advancement
OF education; and the improvement
of the few towns then in existence.
Of part of this claim another
historian says, "Edgerton was abb
solute ruler of the territory for
some months, and under his direc-
ton and authority the first steps
were taken to enforce the laws.
To this may be added, the governor
and few other Unionists furnish
ed the money necessary to meet the
territorial expenses for several
months, until the general govern
ment remembered the needs of its
new territory. With regard to the
matter of education, it should be
noted, that it was niece of the
governor - Lucia Darling - who !
taught the first school in Montana.
Stout, in his history records,
''Partisanship over issues of the
war were as intense in Montana as
in the older territories and states.
Governor Edgerton, coming from
an Ohio hotbed of radical republi-
,anism, was the leader of the Mon
ana Unionists in every sense of
he word, and his young nephew
Col. w. F. Sanders, M. E. P.) was
brisk running mate"
This confirms the statement
,ften made, that the action of the
legislature in changing the county
anne, was directed as much against
colonel Sanders, as against his
nc1e.
Edgerton Declares for Union
So far the reader will form his
pinion of Governor Edgerton !
rom what others have said of him. I
low, let him speak for himself, in t
ne words of his first message to
fontana's first Legislative assem-
ly, that gave such offense to many
that body, always keeping in
lind the fact that they we're utter
/ during the Civil war, and before @
lie assassination of President Lin t
Din: Q
Although we are far removed /
ON the scene of strife which is E
DIV devastating one portion of our a
'untry, we cannot be indifferent =
the result of the struggle. We
e part of the great American
alton, and part of that nation
e must ever remain, her interest,
er prosperity, and glory must ever
dear to the heart of every loyal
an"
What conclusion can the reader
'aw from the foregoing testimony
her than this: In condoning the
naming of Edgerton county-in
r failure to remove the stigma
e placed on her first governor, to
hom she must ever be so greatly
debted-Montana stands to date
nvicted both of ingratitude; and
being tacitly in sympathy with
Sloyalty to our government. Gov
nor Edgerton needs neither vim
cation nor recognition of his SER
,e to this state. So long as time
dures, all the west slope of the
ockies included within our Dor
RS, will be his lasting monument.
is Montana who is called upon
remove the smirch from her rep
alton that she acquired at the re-
ming of Edgerton county.