The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1929-03-08
SENATE AND LOBBYISTS
(From The Montana Free Press

(From The Montana Free Press)
When the present session of the legislature con-
vened swarm of Anaconda Copper Mining Company
lobbyists appeared in the legislative halls. They are
men well known to legislators who have been there at
other sessions and to all officials and people who OBJ
serve public affairs They are employed by the Ana
conda Copper company all the time When lobbying
they also serve the Montana Power Company. They
were at Helena before the session opened and they
have been there since.
These men are aided and abetted by other copper
and power company lobbyists who in from the
various counties when needed who not the pay
roll of the companies named, at least, not all the
time and who are employed in other occupations, but
are supporters of those great corporations in politics.
BILE.
These various brands, kinds and degrees of copper
company lobbyists have been at the state house during
and aid their legislative schemes in every way posi-
this whole session of the legislatures known to every
body; spending their time in the corridors, cloak
rooms and legislative chambers, the Placer hotel
lobby; making acquaintance with the members,
cementing those with old, buttng into every and all
kinds of legislation, and working all the time the
job of putting proposed taxes upon property owners
other than their companies.
In both houses long known company
men, senators and representatives who strongly sup
port the company in politics, who be depended on
to take sides with the company in all legislation i'm
portant to it; who known all the state
pany men. These lawmakers enjoy the closest rela-
tons of friendship and cooperation with the Anacon
da Copper Mining company and the Montana Power
company lobbyists When the legislative ball starts
rolling, these gentlemen lobbyists and lawmakers con-
stitute highly organized acute and capable body OF
friends for the two great corporations, and the way
they work together is beautiful to behold-unless OF
owner, standing the outside of the charmed
and power circle and getting it in the neck
One would think that this close corporation of com
pany lobbyists and lawmakers would be satisfied with
the great advantage they enjoy over all others il
shaping legislation. One would suppose that in the
merest fair play, these gentlemen both the lobbyists
and the lawmakers, would grant to others the same
right they enjoy to promote oppose pending meas
ures before the legislature But not So Apparently
in the senate aft 1aast+bo~a .aa+ara-,-o
never cheeping about continuous and overshadowine
activities of the Anaconda companys lobbyists obiec
to others lobbying
On the floor of the senate Tuesday pitiful how
went up because other persons had dared alegedy
oppose bill before the legislature and we have thu
Anaconda Mining company's newspaper The Helen;
Independent, of the most brazen and egregious O.
the copper mouthpieces talking about rebukes admin
istered by the senate to the gentlemen indicated.
newspaper The Independent, is merely one of the eve
present proofs that this is not free state but that
is inside the pockets of the copper and power
TONS Why doesn't that pretended company exempla
of all the virtues take up the Anaconda company
lobbyists and make known their names and their ac
tivites-Dan M. Kelly, William Rae, Frank Bird Pau
Flint Wilkinson, Scott and host of others? Why d.
not the gentlemen in the senate who object to lobby
ing by others say something about them? Whv ar
not the senatorial friends of the Anaconda Coppe
Mining company and the Montana Power. Compan,
artlculate In rebukes to these lobbyists?
After Senators Campbell of Missoula Goodman O
Broadwater and Stewart of Deer Lodge had indig
nantly condemned the othersSenators Kane and Ruff
corn senators who independent of the copper AM
power corporations said it was unfair to criticize som
lobbyists and not ALL but stopped there's and again tn
value of the Anaconda company of its nine newspaper
and the injury that the people of this state suffe
from them and from that company is Illustrated bv tn
stories they all carried and the glaring headlines re
fectng upon the three men criticized in in the
oy the copper corporations friends while those min
papers remain silent about the underground actva
OF Kelly Bird, Rae Flint and the other Anaconda AM
Montana Power Company lobbyists
of+1 ao