Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-08-14

Gallatin valley was forced to forfeit
her vote.
The citizens of Meagher county,
realizing that their votes would be
favorable to Helena, were not sur
prised to discover that Helena rated
majority of 1872 votes, over Virginia
City. Much to their surprise, however,
they discovered upon the report of the
territorial canvassing board, that the
vote was exactly the reverse of the
original statement giving Helena's old
rival. Virginia City, once more the
majority. Thus was shot off the fire
works for a political battle which was
| to progress through the territorial
courts on into the United States SUI
preme court, after which it would be
returned to the territorial supreme
court.
Helena Wins by 921
The Virginia City supporters were in
favor of accepting the verdict as re-
turned by the canvassing board, but
the Helena supporters were hostile to
this suggestion. The outcome was a
recount with several witnesses to the
actual counting. United States mar
shall was acting superior and on his
given report was to rest the long
awaited decision. His report was 921
in favor of Helena.
Far from being the end of a great
dispute, the last report simply opened
the way for larger one. Other towns
began to realize their qualifications
for the battle to secure the capital,
so permanent location for the cap
ital became the most popular subject
on which to base an argument. In
1889 the state constitutional conven-
ton accepted it as the most important
question on hand but it was pop
ularly accepted that the present To-
cation could not be legally changed
without benefit of a two-thirds vote
of the people. 1t was later agreed that
the capital should remain at its Hell
ena location until definitely perma-
nent site should be chosen by the
peoples vote, and that the people
should have another opportunity to
vote on it in the general election of
1892, settling for all time this great
controversy. The two cities receiving
the highest number of votes were to
be eligible for the finals.
For days names of different towns
were proposed to the convention, and
hardly any town of any size at all
was omitted from the race. No effort
was spared to make it hard going for
Helena to hang on to her hard won
honor.
Election day arrived amid great eX-
element with Helena, Deer Lodge,
Butte, Bozeman, Great Falls and
Boulder competing in most SIREN
uous way. The decision was depend
ent upon the majority of votes cast
and Helena and Anaconda emerged
as the two highest vote winners, put
| ting them in line for the finals, which
would be held in 1894.
Clark VS.. DAILY
Up until now the battle for the
capital had been heated one, but in
comparison with what was to follow
it was but child's play. The two OPP
posing sides lined up for the finals
with great determination. 1t was car
ried into all walks of life and was
responsible for many black eyes to be
seen upon the streets. Two of Mon
tana's richest men proclaimed them
selves leaders in the big battle, Helena
being well represented by William A.
Clark, while Anaconda was equally
well represented by Marcus DAILY. They
were both fighters. Each supported
his chosen city with determination
unsurpassed in any previous affair and
behind each man was a powerful po-
litical machine-the Northern Pacific
standing behind Helena and Clark
and the Great Northern behind DAILY
and Anaconda. DAILY was a powerful
man in his own right, being the presi-
dent Of the Anaconda Copper Co., and
commonly referred to as THE Copper