The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1960-03-11
State House Beat


was caused to remark, "Well, sup
pose | have to say something so the
pink reporter here Indicating me)
will haveasomething to write about
Also last week Burton X. Wheeler
came to town SO nothing would do
but for me to introduce myself to
the illustrious former U. S. Senator
from Montana. He was dining with
Barclay Craighead, Ralph Anderson
and Wellington D. Rankin in Rankin
Placer Hotel.
nibbled the soda crackers on the
table as the gentlemen finished their
dessert. Wheeler looked fine as he
told the old tales of politics. The big
names of our time with his version
of relationships flowed smoothly from
his sharp tongue. AS a reporter /
should have whipped out my note
book, except this was place for a
transistor tape recording, for i'm this
company it was hard to tell who was
probing whom.
Congressman Lee Metcalf soon be-
came the conversation piece. Theory
was advanced by everyone.
Rankin caught me up on several
points and / could but nod "touche".
Wheeler is an avid VOICE fan
and was particularly interested in the
Thatcher Gretchen rumble. / brought
him up to date and he accused me of,
$50, you don't print all the news"
The remark of the Governor coup
led with this dinner party lead me
to review the work of very remark
able man in the annals of Montana
journalism.
The late 'eTip'' Reynolds PINK
REPORTER is in the collection of
several vital repositories which con-
tinually enrich modern news.
At the Historical Library, Harriet
Melloy remarked, "When the PINK
REPORTER came out things weren't
the same for few days"
Tip Reynolds came to Montana
when he was 20 years old and worked
as an electrician for the Milwaukee.
When he was SIS years old he became
a very active antidote for the con-
trolled press.
Tip developed a style of writing |
which was cross between an edi-
torial and a column. He never stopped
to the news story technique In any |
of his writings. He was extremely |
critical of journalism and the train
ing journalists received in institu-
tions of higher education. The end
product of their work seemed to him
to be a mass of pointless writing /
about other places.
Tins PINK REPORTER began i'm
February 1888 and the $50 long, Tip
issue was printed i'm October 1862.
Only when he was dead did the adj
appear in the PINK.
The legends of his exploits are
already being formulated and its too
bad someone isn't researching out a
solid history of this man while first
hand information is still available.
When Tip wrote there was no
doubt as to where he stood upon any
issue or person ON the modern scene.
For example the lead story of the
January 80, 1852 issue began /
when jerk of doctor shoots OH
his bazoo and couple of war vet
Grams go to the cemetery due to his
CAB. it's time to give the matter at
,ention. About a year ago a veteran
1t the Fort Harrison Hospital was |
as being OK. The veteran
.ame to Helena He was acting little
queer and so the cops picked him up.
lie had not been drinking but WAS {
ust little queer. The police put /
he vet in a cell and called up the {
Tort to send an ambulance and pick
he vet up In the meantime the said (
-eteran removed his belt and hanged t
imself in the city 'scan" in Helena. i
Doctors at Fort Harrison promptly i
orgot the incident and the world {
ept moving along, the vet past
lumber tho he had been discharged /
S "WELL' from this federal hos /
ital1 by PHONY QUACK who +
hould be sticking pigs for Swift q
! Co.. a
Within the year Tip died at Fort b
HARRISON. t
He was strong on the use of capital Q