Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-01-13
BY ELMO

BY ELMO
The city Of Helena, apparently, went
q bit high hat" back In the capital
fk1ht Of 1894 Anaconda retaliated with
. classic a teering satire that has
been all bat forgotten.
The capital fight, Like the spectac-
uaar personal political battles Of the
industrial giants Of pioneer Montana,
has become a more or less cold, factual
record Of history. with the human
&rama submerged in the stream OF
tame.
But had the privilege the other
cay Of reading a rare little pamphlet.
It had reposed for four decades on
the Atlantic seaboard. 1t Is now back
Ia Montana to reveal and, henceforth
10 preserve in the Treasure states ar
elatveS, one warm, rollicking episode In
A&Ontana's campaign to choose q per-
m2anent capital
Attorney Vtlroy @. Miller OF Living
sion returned to Princeton university
IA 1887 for a class reunion. In VIII
mangt0n. Della, he visited friend,
willard Springer Jr., who introduced
william H Heald Of the same city.
Eeald had resided in Montana during
sAe days of the capital fight. and he
recalled personal acquaintance with
wromfnent men Of all sections Of the
se2te OF that time.
Head recalled the capital fight, and
showed Ailler a little pamphlet used
IA the campaign.
ssT wouldn't take a thousand dollars
for that little book" declared Head,
'sbut you can take 1t to a stenographer
and have h copied, If you like"
Since you place so high q value on
It." replied Miller, II would hesitate
% take 1t out of your possession even
tznat long"
In December Springer informed Mill
Ter of Heads death. The pamphlet,
left in Springers hands, was forward
ed to Miller. Il do not know who Is
more entitled to it," he wrote, land
am sure Head would be glad that
1t falls to you"
There probably are less than half
q dozen copies of the booklet Still In
existence, though no doubt thousands
we're printed IN 1894.
Heaesaa's Argument
A paragraph of background and then
the story:
NOV. IL, 1894, was the date set for an
election to locate the states perma-
nent capital. The territorial capital
had for many years been at Helena.
with Bozeman, Anaconda and others,
Helena was in the campaign for the
permanent location of the statehouse.
Anaconda was Helena's chief adver-
sary.
Helena had issued at least two PAM
pnlets exploiting her superior rights to |
the capital One of these was entitled |
"An Address to the People OF Montana |
Reasons Why Helena Should Be the |
Permanent Capital of the State" In |
this brochure were many references
to Helena's social prestige. To the |
rank and file OF the populace they |
seemed q bit sSnoOty," and the Ana /
conda crowd was quick to seize upon |
the opportunity for satire.
The result was the pamphlet now
pre9nacy- AGOntana's Center of Fash
ION, Refinement, Gentility, Etiquet,
Kettle Drums, High Elves. Progressive
Euchre and Mixed Drinks" Many Of
the references to social customs will
probably be obscure TO today'S younger
generation, but to older people they
may incite nostalgia memories.
Following q quotation from Reasons
why Helena Should Be the Perma-
also be said about the social life Of
Helena, Of its beautiful homes, and its
refined and intellectual society. Here
On the eastern slope of the Rocky
mountains are found may people Of
high culture, whose standards of think
ing and living compare favorably with
those of the best elements Of eastern
city life" the Anaconda satire COM
nents:
g. The capital committee Is aware
That 1t lays itself open, in sense,
TO the debauehed hirelings, the OBJ (
scaIre Doors and buffoons of the Ana
eonda press, who upon the slightest I
pretext bring with coarse and ribald !
lest the prepOSterous charge that Hell {
sna Is casting invidious reflections up :
1n the society Of other Montana cities
e4zI to- -
;ay here, once and for ALL that moth {
ng Is further from its intention. G
Always excepting Anaconda, poor,
'emote camp which seems to be buried / v
aopelesSly in barioarisnl always ex-
,epting Anaconda, the city Of Helena &
S prepared to admit, and that willing /
y, cheerfuIly. manfully. that there are {
many towns in Montana that have at 3
aimed a high degree of civilization; 4
hat the inhabitants of these towns ;
ire far removed in the social scale, If Z
lot Ia point of geography, from the n
Crow Indians on the one side and q
he F9Rtheads on the other; that they a
lave little or nothing any longer in d
ommon with the savages 3
And more In the same vein, to close n
his particular comment thus: cat
neSe numerous indications of subStan-
lal social progress throughout Mon
ana, Helena exultS She loves to watch q
he steady advances her inferior sisters =
re making In their slow but not the =
SIS tr1umphal evolution. Their strug- =
ling efforts towards the acquisition :.
good manners and a knowledge of y =
ne uses OF polite society, are source e
keen qualification, and Helena al v
'ays holds herself ready to instruct, =
ncourAge and applaud" ~
~@@wmm zumm = ~ Aemm =