The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-01-25
Great Falls Tribune Attacks Rankin
For Offering to Assist In Getting
Railroad Through Here

According to last Sundays Record
Herald of Helena, the Tribune at
Great Falls, said to be the G. MS
mouthpiece in Montana, has discov-
cred that a movement is on to pass
an initiative measure, which would
COMPEL the building of railroads, II
found warranted. Evidently the G.
N. doesn't like this, so the Tribune
has come out with an article attack
ing the Attorney General for offer
ing to assist in getting such law,
on the statute books. We have as
yet not seen the the Tribune writeup,
although we have sent for copy,
but we are herewith reprinting the
Record Herald's comment on the
matter:
Tribune Could Do 1t
The Great Falls Tribune strenu-
ously objects to Attorney General
Rankin helping the people of Nc
Cone County to get a railroad, and
prints an editorial column or more
IN length deridIng that official on the
charge-which it makes-that he has
promised such help. 1t goes so far
as to call him demagogue, and to
indulge in other splenetic and chol-
eric comments upon his alleged ac-
tiYity in behalf OF the isolated deni-
IONS of the wilds of McCone county,
marooned and isolated far from the
cheering hoot of choo cnoo car.
We are without knowledge of the
Tribunes reasons for desiring that
the McCone county people shall do
without a railroad and yet give
thanks to God, but it's grudge against
the attorney general obviously is
deep rooted and inveterate,not to say
incorrigible, unchangable and monu-
mental. In the whole effusion there
isn't one kind word for Mr.. Rankin.
The Tribune Is Democratic and has
some well known leanings that may
account for this bias. prejudice and
rancor toward the attorney general
and also for its jaundiced attack,
which no doubt is a boost for RAN
kin.
However,our attention was fixed by
matter toward the nethermost end of
the editorial. Therein the news
paper advices the unhappy and as
piring residents of McCone county
not to rely upon the assistance of the
attorney general in making efforts to
realize their overweening ambition
to have railroad of their own, but
to seek out Ralph Budd, head of the
Great Northern railroad, and tell
him their troubles.
The Tribune expresses the Opin- |
ion that, if they can convince Mr.. |
Budd, and the Great Northern direc-
tors that there will be fat profit
in such road, and then can direct
those astute and sagacious gentle :
men to the financial shrine where
they will be able to capitalize the ven
ture, there is chance that they can !
get the railroad; otherwise not.
Some people, misled by the init
macy of its railroad association,
some times mistake the cognoment
of the Great Falls paper and inno-
Gently call it the Great Northern
Tribune Perhaps it is not exactly
the Great Northern's official mouth
piece-though we would not feel war
anted in denying that-yet it is suf-
close to the vest pocket of
that concern that we are sure that
It speaks by the book when it thus
addresses the people of McCone
county. In other words it knows
what the Great Nothern is likely to
10.
Perhaps the Great Northern Tri-
onne-the Great Falls Tribune, we
should SAYS jealous of Mr.. Rankin
Il f114 M
people should have applied to it and ;
lot to him for aid to induce the l
Great Northern company to build ;
hem a branch road in their county. {
rhe Tribune probabl has jurisdiction t