The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-02-05
(By BYRON E. CooNEY)


THIRTY-ONE golden a ago.
this state was racked and rocked
by a campaign of various cities
which desired to become the perma-
nent capital of the state. Into this
contest were drawn the big men of
the Treasure State, many Of whom
are still alive, and look back and
laugh over the fight-at the enmities,
the bitterness, the strife it created.
Men who were then bitterly hostile by
faction and by politics are now good
friends. Marcus DAILY tried to make
Anaconda the capital, while w. A.
Clark threw his influence to Helena.
Orators, writer's, songsters and
spieleTs were employed on both
sides. Literature was printed and
distributed by the bale.
In this connection, the Helena
boosters, thinking of every cOnceiv-
able reason why it should be selected
as the capital site, got out a booklet
entitled Reasons Why Helena
Should Be the Capital" The book
laid much stress on Helena's attTac-
tiOns as the social center" Of the
state, and this gave the Anaconda
JUnta a chance to come back with a
book of the bitterest inVectiVe, EMIT
led "Helena's Social Supremacy" II
was supposed to be a burlesque sup
pIement Of the original Helena
pamphlet, but it was coined in the
very gold of irony.
No common 'ink-splasher" wrote
that book, which now, yellowed with
age, lies on the desk before me. 1t is
a shining rapier OF wit, a flaming
sword Of sarcasm, a deadly potion
of Chesterfieldian satire. The wounds
have long since been healed and even
scars are no longer visible in either
city, so the good people OF Helena,
will probably read this story, after
nearly a third Of a century, with am
usement.
The polished style Of this philip
pie, its literary excellence, is unap-
preached by any Of Our later-day
writer's. It ranks as q classic with
Burke's defense on the Attacks on
His Pension" or ByrOn's English
Bards and Scottish Reviewers" Read
this first page.
Fundamental Principles"
''In two former pamphlets issued
by the Helena Capital committee Oc-
c-asiOnal allusiOn was made to Hell
ena's commanding position in re
spect of social attractions and adj
vantages. These references having
excited the sneers and ridicule OF the
low. coarse. Doodle press Of AnacOn-
da, it is fitting that this committee
should set the facts before the intel
ligent voters of Montana for their
calm, deliberate, judicial cOnsidera-
49, UVT,0A TTo1nno Sc fhn cnpi0N nc
we'll as the commercial, financial, ag-
riculturaI, metallurgical, meteOrOl-
Ogical. theological, apOstOlical, politi-
cal, Intellectual, literary, education
al, musical, theatrical, legal, medical
metaphysical, artistical, hygienic, and
esoteric center of Montana, is a fac
which should admit Of no dispute; /
is a fact which the citizens Of Hell
ena demonstrated long ago, not on
" to their own satisfaction bu
doubtless also to the complete con
victiOn of the great majority Of thu
people Of the state. Yet it may b.
that there are a few honest skeptici
here and there, men who, being ma
turally prone to demand the evidence
of their senses as the final test Of be
lief, and never having had an OppOr
LuulLy I'll DCADOudA OBoCA HGkAOLg oA'
living in ignorance of the truth, or
at least, are passing through life will
a shallow and inadequate conception
Of Helena's claims upon the adOra
ton of mankind"
Culture in Montana
On page II the author says:
LET there be no misunderstanding
upon this matter. 1t would hurt Hel
ena to the quick to be though
naughty OF arrogant, proud, bOastfU
or vain-gloriOus. Helena is high
souled and large-hearted. She claim
simply what she is due; and to a
the other communities in the stat
she measures out that which is thei
due with liberal, aye, with lavish
hand. She is not ashamed Of them
she glOries in their advance; sh
takes pride in publishing their sOci;
achievements to the world. Thu
Helena has learned with genuine d.
light hat in Butte, mining cam
that it is, there are people who wit
comparatively little effort refrai
from eating wit htheir knives. J