The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-09-21
FROM EDITORIAL COLUMNS
Our Optimistic Governor

Governor c. an address at Commercial Club
luncheon last Friday in optimistic state
of mind He predicted that taking advantages opportunities
existing 10 Montana double its present population
This statement brings up quesons What existing
opportunities and do the governors figures justify his
prediction?
The existing opportunities the they have been
for the past 80 and the states population
than was 81 years ago The reason is easy explain One
corporation controls the entire example
has shown population decline for the past 80 and
practically dead city with dapdated and empty business
the rule In that city the Copper company the
City Water Works. the two daily the largest depart
ment store largest hardware largest hotel all the Mines
one of the largest banks if not the has working
agreement with the Gas the Power company, the
Commercial Club and the service clubs Do want Billings
follow the of Butte? Any business will have rocky
road to travel without obtaining its
The prediction will stand up upon
CATION What justification has he for predicting doubling
of population in 10 years. when matter
from the u S. Census Montana has actually declined pop
aon the past 80 Furthermore convict the
with his figures He of the $4,000
and service 1000 have been discharged
careful check shows that rs cent have returned to Mon
tana In addition between 1900 and 1000 discharged
from other states have Montana to make their
homes Then 25 cent of the 1900 Montana citizens
2750 have left the state An of 1750 from other
states have to Montana This shows net loss of 1000
about 10 per cent.
The governor promises great postwar highway
sructon and WE plan to spend SAB million.
The WE must be the Federal puts up Sc
of the money but the did this
fact for fear it might smack of socialism, which he abhors
He briefly related how the Missouri Basin Interagency
Army Engineers Bureau of Reclamation) were ork
ing in complete harmony with the idea of full utilization of
of the Missouri river How this Interagency
going that governor when the Montana
claims all of the of the Missouri river least did
few when filed suit to few Broadwater
county farmers from taking little water rrgate
paratvey few You had better not this you
might lose of ardent supporters the Montana Power
Company You still attack the MVA claiming that the
ton of authority plan would be long toward
socialism, 1t would be enlightenng for you explain how
development by corporation agency (MVA
would be longer step toward state socialism than develop
by two agencies Bureau of Reclamation and
Army Engineers Furthermore know that the Bureau
Reclamation has been in existence nearly SO years. the
Army Engineers 100 and they have been
s and did practically developing but when talk of MVA
patterned after successful IVA arose. mind
welded these antagonistic agencies by Shotgun
ding it has been characterized to meet the challenge of
MVA.
The proposes that money be appropriated
advertise the The opponent proposed
the last campaign The governor rather tardy his
proposal he controlled the legislature
winter and should have put this through then In inter-
view the described expanded educational
for returning veterans adding this not done return
would leave the state This would be
authority that 5000 graduates the
University of Montana only 200 remained in the
Independent thinker who speaks out boldly like Dr. Meby is
lot wanted in university faculty by the powers that
roll Dr. Melby has gone to other fields d
We that the had most sympathetic 1t
audience, who with complete gubity swallowed without ii
Effort every word he said We sincerely hope that the gov
prophet in his prediction but fear
of Rip Van Wrinkle, who has been asleep the past
40 and just awakened the world looks
Fright him.-The Yellowstone. it