The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1952-10-03
By A BYSTANDER

performance on the horns and drums
Other smaller sized seals, seals will
less talent, applauded wildly his rem
dition on the blaring horn of "Homt
Sweet Home" When he finished his
act he was thrown piece of more OF
less decayed fish and each member
of the act got similar though small
er reward.
Of late years, no political campaign
in Montana is complete without a
similar act by the trained seals. 1t
has become such regular part of the
Republican campaigns that we all
look forward to the biennial perform
ance.
Last Monday noon the act took
place again at its usual locale, the
Placer Hotel, now owned by Well
ington Rankin and his buddies of
stored whiskey fame Fred Heineke
and George Sinton, the big Manhat-
tan rancher.
Monday afternoons Helena In
dependent gave us a full account of
the performance. The big seal, as
usual, was Ed Toomey, Helena law
yer. On his horn he played from
start to finish the old tune about
creeping socialism" He presented
bill which Lee Metcalf, in 1886, pre-
sented to the Legislature. 1t was sup
posed to favor those un-American in
the Farmers Co-ops. He
scared the bejabers out of the lit
tie seals. He told them that if Lee
were elected to Congress
private enterprise would end and
socialism, apparently in the
form of co-ops, would take over.
He heralded Wellington D. Ran
kin, the millionaire rancher, and
many times defeated candidate, as
The Knight in Shining Armor who |
would save the country from the
menace of creeping socialism. The
seals applauded more violently than
ever.
The big seal, Mr.. Toomey, had
earned his lesson well for he COM
oletely forgot to tell the little seals
hat Wellington d. in his more palmy
lays, had been active in Socialist
'arty affairs in Montana and regu-
ar attendant at its meetings in the
Id Galen block just few doors up
he street from the Placer Hotel.
lis trainer was a good coach, for
yithout flap of the tail he plumb
verlooked telling the little seals that
,ankin had been attorney for the
ocialist party in Montana for years
ntil very recent date. The little
eals were undoubtedly so we'll train
d, and have had a part in the act
} long they would have applauded
ven if the big seal had beat out
lese facts on the drums.
While the Helena paper didn't
lote, those of us who have observed
lie trained seal act over the years,
now that the big seal no doubt
rought tears to the eyes of the audi
ice and the little seals by playing
le tune of the poverty of the Re-
lblican party and the need for dig
ng up dough for the poor million
re Republican candidate for Con-
'ess. You may be sure, that under
e influence of the act put on by
e trained seals, check books were
fought forth and contributions
ade, that the aging Sir Galahad,
ankin, could be sent down to Wash
gton to Stay the dragon of Social
m.
But, of course, probably all he
ally would do would be to tilt
e windmill because the Socialism
e big seal talked about, exists only
the minds of seals and particularly
aimed ones.
1t isn't the business of trained
ais to know that in 1892 there were
IS than 3 million individual bust
sses in the United States and that
day there are over million and
e business outlook increased from
billion in 1882 to 292 billion in
81, Trained seals can hardly be
pected to understand figures like
at and SO they go through the tired
act with the big seal PLAYING
the horns and the little seals an
luding, grinding out the old tune