The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1924-09-05


the board of examiners authorized to
spend the money of the state of Mon
tana under legislative appropriation,
Governor Joseph M. Dixon yesterday
fortified himself for the coming cam
paign, looking to his own reelection,
by naming L. A. Foot attorney gen
eral of Montana after he had appoint
ed Wellington D. Rankin an associate
justice Of the supreme court following
the resignation Of Associate Justice
Charles H. Cooper.
The deal to put Mr. Rankin on the
supreme bench and give Governor
Dixon control of the board of exami-
ners was made in ahurry. 1t was con-
summated late yesterday afternoon.
Judge Cooper issued a statement say
ing he had recently been appointed an
executor Of the estate of a near rela-
tive, and he felt he could not give the
time necessary to properly fl the {. ice
of associate justice and a. the same
time take care of his relatives propcr-
ty.
Trading Them Around.
For the first time in the history of
Montana state officers We're handed
about in the shape Of appointments
and designations over a table in the
governors Office and between two poll
teal factions that do not trust each
other as far as a man can throw bull
by the tail. There is bitter feeling be-
tween Governor Joseph M. Dixon on
the one side and Attorney General
Rankin and Justice Charles H. Cooper
on the other, because of the result of
the recent primary in which Mr.. Ran
kin was defeated for the nomination
for United States senator and Justice
Cooper was defeated for the nomina-
ton fer associate Justice. Both Ran
kin and Cooper have charged that the
governor "double-crossed" them and
they trusted him so little yesterday
that the governor Of Montana was
made to hand Wellington d. Rankin
the Iatter's appointment as associate
justice before Judge Cooper would
give the governor one little peep at
his resignation which he held in his
hand in the executive Offices.
Would be Sure.
Justice Cooper went to the gov
ernor's Office with his resignation
made out and was accompanied bv
Mr.. Rankin. The governor was DO
litely informed that Justice Cooper
was ready to appoint Mr.. Rankin to
the place, but that Mr.. Rankin must
have the commission in his hands be-
fore the resignation would be filed
with the governor.
Governor Dixon and his political
friends had moved very fast between
the time Rankin and Cooper had
agreed to the plan and the time of
passing the papers.
His Chance Had Come
Dixon had the opportunity he had
long wanted-that of getting rid OF
Rankin, whom he hates and who bad
made him trouble on the board n
examiners. With Rankin defeat.
ed for the United States senate he
would naturally be a very hard mar
to handle on the board of examiners
So it all worked out fine. Rankin i
named to get rid of him and Foot j
made attorney. general on the expecta
ton and belief that he would immedi
ately send a rubber stamp of his sip
nature to the Office of the governor
Foot is the Dixon candidate for at
tomey general. He was the hero y
the recent Reifenrath letters widel,
circulated over the signature .
Charl H. Reifenrath, manager Of tb
Record-Herald. The letters wer
written after other candidates ba,
been made to believe they would pc
even break from the Record-Heralc
But they didn't get anything like a
even break. There were 100, 900 let
ters sent out by the Reifenrath-Dixor
crowd to aid Foot's primary campaig
and the other candidates were left t
get along as best they could. To civ
wider circulation the Miles City Sta
published it.
| Considering the holiness of Reifen