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About The Ekalaka Eagle (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920 | View This Issue
The Ekalaka Eagle (Ekalaka, Mont.), 06 Feb. 1920, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/sn85053090/1920-02-06/ed-1/seq-1/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
NEW PRIMARY LAW DECLARED ILLEGAL Operation of Montana's closed pri- mary law will be automatically sus- pended until the voters of Montana approve or reject it at the next gen- eral election, when the supreme court lifts the restraining order decreed by the decision Friday. Before being enjoined from receiv- ing and filing additional petitions to refer the closed primary law which was passed by the legislature in spec- ial assembly last August, Secretary of State C. T. Stewart had petitions totalling 17,784 signatures from 26, or a majority, of the counties of the state to suspend operation of the clos- ed primary. The petitions for the amended pres- idential preferential primary law al- to passed last summer, include 17,704 signatures from 26 counties. It is also stated that these signa- tures represent 15 per cent of the voters in each county in which the petitions were circulated, which com- plies with the constitutional amend- ment. This is sufficient to suspend the law, S. C. Ford, attorney general, said today in expressing his views on the amendment. In reverting to the old law, two primary elections will be held in a presidential year. The first election will be held April 23 and will be for the purpose of choosing delegates to antional conventions and also for the — purpore of expressing a preference for presidential candidates. The sec- ond primary election will be held Aug. 24, when candidates will be nominated on all tickets for all offices. Under the old law candidates to national conventions will be nominat- ed when their petitions are properly filed, containing one per cent of the party vote cast at the last election for representative in congress. The maxlInntil 'Magi isignatiires . quired on these petitions is 500. The petitions are to be completed and filed -*Rhin 20 days before election. These delegates are elected upon re- ceiving the highest number of votes of each party. Each delegate is al- lowed $200 traveling expenses by the state. At the same election which names national convention\.7delegates presi- dential electors are nominated and voters may also express their prefer- - ''''' ence for the presidential candidate. By a decision handed down by the supreme court of Montana last Fri- day, the primary measure passed by the last extra session of the legisla- ture is to go to a referendum vote next fall. That proposed law contains mighty good ideas. Chief among its beneficial features is the fact that it would greatly hamper the activities of those elements which seek 'to use the two chief political, Parties in,this state to further their 'own nefarious eiyis. Declare against conventions as they may, it is nevertheless a fact that many of the opponents of the method of enabling members of poli- tical parties to get together, even if only to talk over their political t affairs, never fail to take advantage of any opportunity to meet for just such purpose. The avidity with which many mem- bers of the republican party met in Butte within recent weeks was a very emplpstic case in point of the eager- ness with which such gatherings are awaited. The present primary method in Montana precludes proper opportun- ity for the rank knd file of the differ- ent political parties or organizations for the most part to meet. Verily the so-called conventions held after the primaries, are composed of candi- dates who merely get together to draw up platforms. • EIOLAICA, CARTER COUNTY, MONTANA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1920. weak. Such alleged tenets, as fre- quently pointed out, have no other 'object than attracting by any catch- penny expressions available as many votes to the party as they can, disre- garding good, pound, genuinely con- structive Party principles. The re- cent republican round -up held in the city of Butte had as one of its out- standing features the palpable inti- mation that were the state to return to the former convention method of making nominations, that would then prove populer with most of the mem- bers of the republican party, as it doubtless would with most of the democrats. Of course, as the Miner once before stated, it would be \ob- jectionable to those persons who be- long to neither Political organization, but who desire to toren their nomin- ations upon the old parties under the present primary law\. • And the Miner's view of the propo- sition prior to the supreme court's de- cision as to the so-called emergency primary measure, was the following which now appears more pertinent than ever: \Thus it appears to the Miner that no matter how the supreme court de- cides the present case before it in- volving the primary law, it would - be a good plan for the democrats and republicans to get together and agree to initiate a measure to be voted upon at the election to be held in Novem- ber, repealing all primary laws, lock, stock and barrel. This newspaper belie -ea that if this question were put up to the voters it would carry by an overwhelming majority. Two of our neighboring states, South Dakota and Idaho, repealed their laws after a brief experience with them, for they found gtey were not only expensive and unrepresentative of the majority but in addition permitted interlopers to secure nomination' of parties to which they did not belong. The citi- zens of this state appear to be en- titled to an opportunity to express their views of the manner in which the primary law has worked out in •Messialeav- -6;t. fair minded person can object to giving the voters this change, for if they want it repealed their views in the matter should gov- ern.\ And in this connection is is inter- esting at well as opportune to quote the following from a communication that came recently from a prom- inent Jefferson county republican to the Miner, and which statement is typical of many letters received on the subject by this newspaper from various parts of the state. \I have just read with a great deal of interest and pleasure your leading editorial on the initiation of a bill to restore the old convention system. By all Means get behind and push this movement. I fully believe it would be a winner.\ At any rate, the paramount fact is that the people of Montana should be given the chance to express their lat- apt desire in the matter at the polls. • FIREMEN APPOINT COMMITTEES The entertainment committee of the Ekalaka Volunteer Fire Depart- ment held a meeting on Monday and appointed the following sub -commit- tees for the Semi -Annual dance to be held on Friday evening, February 20, 1920: Tickets: Wm. Walker, Geo. Huss and L. J. O'Grady. Refreshments: T. M. Comstock, H. B. Albert and S. J. Emswiler. Door: F. C. DISIberg, Frank Er- nest and H. G. Albert. Floor: V. E. Davis, Geo. Leeman, A l T. Dague, E. H. Johnson and Matt cirey. Music: 0. A. Dahl, L. M. Elliott and C. K. Putnam. And right here let it be remember- ed that the plan of permitting the nominees of a political party to for- mulate the articles of faith for their party is, as many times has been de- clared, most reprehensible. It cer- tainly is a far better system to follow the former idea of having a duly con- stituted convention, thoroughly rep - presentative of whatever political party it might be, draft such party platforms, then requiring the candi- dates to stand squarely on such dec- laration of party principles, or get off that party's ticket. It is plain to see that when the building of such a platform is left to the devices of the candidates alone, they have the op- portunity te and often do, commit their party to various declarations .1of political faith that are notoriously CHURCH SERVICES nut LOCAL NEWS OF THE PAST WEEK. Gene Neveaux, the barber, spent Sunday and Monday in Baker. Ed kfuelhausen went to Baker. on Sunday, returning Monday evening. E. J. Fielded was in t.wn on Sun- day, coming in from his ranch on Horse creek. M. A. Pickens was in town on Tues- day from his ranch looking after some land business. Mrs. B. M. Davis, who was operated upon last week for appendicitig, is improving fast. • Mrs. A.. E. Elliott left Sunday for Minnesota for a visit with relatives for a few days. The county commissioners arrived on the scene Monday and went into regular monthly session. The Christian Science society meets every Sunday at 2:30 at the Church. All are cordiaaly invited.'\ - J. B. Lasater of Rema was a vis- itor in town on Monday attending the Masonic lodge meting that evening. If you are not counted you will be officially dead until 1930. See that the census taker records you as being alive. Conceit and dance at the Play House tonight under the auspices of Ekalaka orchestra. We believe you will enjoy it. Dr. Sherill was over from Camp Crook Saturday and performed a minor operation on Eddie Primmer for adenoids. Grace Elliott of Mitchell, S. D., a grand -daughter of A. E. Elliott ar- kived this week and will visit relatives here for a time. Ethel Evans was granted a divorce at Baker last week from her husband, Frank, Evans. Mrs. Ewing .was given the custody of the two children' and $60 per month alimony. Mrs. Robert Ridgway came up on the Ridgway stage Tuesday and went to Bowman, N. D. on Wednesday to visit her daughter Jewel, who is at- tending high school there. \Banjo\ Jake Moore and Charles Whitney went through town Satur- day with 53 head of horses which they are taking to Baker to keep in a pasture close to feed for the balance of the winter. Sunday school, 10 a. m. The Sun- day School is growing. Rev. Ralph Sargent of Helena, Mont., will be here next Sunday. He will preach both morning an evening, also beginning a series of meetings that will last all next week. Rev. Sargent gapes well recommended. Everyone please come and hear him. We hope because of these meetings there will be many ad- ditions to the church. This week we are holding a series of cottage prayer meetings. Christian Endeavor, 7 p. m. Topic, \Is It Worth While.\ Leaders, pres- ident, vice-president and the secre- tary. We pray that all these metings will be well atended. Clerk of Court, L. Jr O'Grady left Tuesday for Rapid City, S. D. in res- ponse. to a telegram anouhcing the serious illness of his brother-in-law who has been on the sick list for a long time past. • H. G. Albert \rode the goat\ into the Masonic lodge Monday evening. Joe Wash has made arrangements to take over the Palace restaurant on upper Main street that has been con- ducted by Mrs. A. Mumedy. Do you want a full and complete census of the town and county? Of course you do. If the census enu- merator has overlooked you, make it a point yourself to see that you naLie is on his list. Another census will not take place for ten years. The famous Universal feature en- titled \Loot\, starring Ora Carew and Darrell Foss, will be seen at the Play House, Friday, February 13th. William C.Dowlan directed this thrill- ing Saturday Evening Post story a-; written by Arthur S. Roche. Ten thousand extras were used and street traffic on Los Angeles' Broad- way was held up . for almost an hour during the filming of the tremendous jewelry store robbery fdr \Loot\, the mystery drama to be shown at the Play House, Friday evening, Fellru- ary 13th. Legal blanks, carbon papers, man- uscript covers, typewriter papers and typewriter ribbons can be purchase at this office. tf ••••-i The republicans held a meeting on Tuesday evening.. Not being Afflicted with.,,th e e disease we did not attend, but we iiirtemme they \elected officers and transactell such other besines, 'etc., etc.\ and Ito doubt came to the decision that us democrats would just naturally have to be cleaned up this fall. Joe Lane was In town from his& ranch northwest of town yesteraay. Frank Becker of Baker was here on Tuesday. Pete McArthur CAM over with him. The Improvement- Club met yester- day afternoon with Mrs. Matt Carey at her home on Speelmon street. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Brant returned Tuesday evening from a visit with relatives and friends in Baker. . George Peterson who lives' south- east of town returned this week from a visit with friends and relatives in Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Elliott, Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Eliott and H. R. Elliott expect to leave Sunday for a trip to the oil fields of Texas. Contractor Thompson expects to go down to his ranch today for P few days. He will be back next week and then start ivOrk on the new residence for Attorney R. Nelstead. If that groundhog has got any in- side dope on the weather we are scheduled for six months more of win- ter in these parts. Unless the fellpw was blind — he certainly got a good glimpse of his shadow on Monday. General Sweeney was in town yes- terday from his ranch on Box Elder: Mr. Sweeney informed us that he was \like a snake—he always crawled out when the sun began to shine.\ This was his first trip to town for some. time. We scouted all over town and then failed to discover any oil news. In fact, for ,the first time in several weeks, we could not even run on to a bunch of guys talking oil. Possibly their oil stories are as slippery as the real dope.' 11 There is some talk of the possibil- ity of the postoffice being moved with- in the coming few weeks, if II proper lacrition can be secured. We under- stand the present location will be oc-, cupied by Messrs Booth & Dahlberg for their confectionery store. Charley Whitney left Wednesday for Omaha to take treatment for his hearing from. Dr. Gifford, the great eye and ear specialist. He wilralso consult 011ie Hedges, who is now lo- cated in South Omaha, in regard to matters of interest in the Nebraska metropolis. The fire department mintrel show will hold rehersal at the fire hall on Saturday evening and at the Play House Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock. All membeIs are urgently requested be there 83 the time is getting short and there is still lots of work 'e be done. Sentinel: Court Reporter GeArge Vinton has 'just completed a trans- cript of the evidence in the Carter county case of the State vs. Iledrick, comprising some 650 pages and about 200,000 words. It is the largest transcript ever made of an Eastern Montana case and occupied Mr. Vinton's time for several weeks. Whe Baker Sentinel In commenting on the receet capture of a still in this section and the arrest of a bo'otlegeer saysi \It is said that an editors check is among the 'exhibits' to he Offered as evidence of bootlegging\. The editor of . the Sentinel seems to know more about the evidence than the officers. Wonder if he has a like check in circulation. Just received a load of wood from Brother Simpson and you can bet your bottom dollar we are going to throw the steam into the Play House tonigth for that concert and dance. \Smithy\ has signed up an iron -clad contract to are the furnace until the last chunk has passed up in smoke, and the audi- ence is promised a warm reception.— The Musical Bunch. By the decision of the supreme court of Montana in deciding that `we must keep right on with our old pri- mary apstem until a referendum vote has been taken, a lot of time is given over to candidates running for office to decide for sure whether or not they really. want the office, _They have from now until next August to enter the race, a good long time to think. Regular practices are now being held for the Firemen's Minstrels. It has been decided to give one show on Thursday night, February 19th and the semi-annual dance, and a show on the next night. The two - night arrangement Was decided upon to take care of the large attendance thr.t is expected. By giving the show twice everybody Will be given a chance to see it, and take it from us, it is going to be what we might call a humdinger. Every member of the fire department is busy and with till these heads together it is. .bound to make a hit. Tickets for the danCe will be on sale soon by all firemen, the sale of tickets for the minstrel show to be conducted at the hall only. • WINNAFRED H. ROGERS Early Monday morning, February 2, the angel of death visited our little village and called to,the great beyond Winnafred H. Rogers. Mr. Rogers had been in ill health since early last year and in October visited the Mayo clinic at Rochester, Minn. Receiving no en- couragement there he returned to his home in Ekalaka and from that time until his death had continually become worse. Hardening of the arteries may properly be said to have been the di- rect cause of his death. Winnafred Rogers was born in Deg Sota, Wis., on October 16, 1869 and was 50 years, 3 months and 16, days of age. He came to Ekalaka during the fall of 1913 from Buffialo, S. D. In January of last year he became a partner with B. M. Davis in the hard- ware business in Ekalaka. He leaves to mourn his death, his beloved wife, Augusta, and little daughter,. Winnie, also his mother, who resides on the western coast, and brothers and sis- ters living in North and South Dako- ta. The funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at Hardy's undertaking parlors, John Oliver officiating. The casket was cov- ered with many beautiful floral offer- ings from his frietias and the Maosnic order, of which he was a first degree. member. Messrs S. A. Holt, L. T. Ramme, F. C. Dahlberg, Wm. Mowbray, R. Nel- stead and A. T. Dague acted as pall- bearers. To those immediate relatives left to mourn his death, the sympathy of the entire community is extended. PROGRESSING BACKWARD _Republican leaders of Congress are progressing backward on irrigation projects in the Indian reservations of the West. Many of the important de- velopments will have to be abandoned if present plans of House committees are carried out. • The Republican party launched re- elamantion programs to catch votes in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and oth- er states where lands were originally reserved for Indiana. An illustration of what is being lone is found in the Flathead Indian reservation of Montana, where about 1800 homesteaders have settled in compliance with the law 'With the ex- pectation that they would receive sup- plies of water. The Republicans 'of the House have reduced the Flathead eatimate from $1,000,000 to $100,000. Theodore Roosevila was president when Congress opened the Flathead ands to entry. A Republican admin- istration was first to spend a large sum of money there. About $4,000,- 000 has been expended on the project thus far. \One thousand eight hundred men, under the law which I deem to be equivilent to a contract with the Gov- ernment,\ said Representative Evans, democrat, of Montana, \have gone up- on this reservation, have taken up tracts of land, have complied with the homestead act, and have paid on an average of from four' to five dollars an acre for the land. They are now waiting for the Government to carry ou,p its contract, complete the irriga- tion project and give them title.\ That is the sort of economy that opened the flood gates on reclamation projects, but would close them now on uncompleted developments and thereby lose all the money invested in them violate the contracts of the Gov- ernment with the people who have taken up the lands, and cause finan- ciel injury and physical hardship among the homesteaders. Representative Snyder, chairman of the House Committee on Indian Affairs, has indicated plainly that he will starve the irrigation prOjects by refusing to appropriate money to realize them. \So far as 'I know,\ said he on the floor of the House, \there has been no project completed, and so far as my belief goes, there is no intention on the part of any one ever to complete any of the projects. The chairman of this committee proposes at this time, if it is within his power, to peke some arrangements whereby some of this money .which has hitherto been expended shall be returned.\ The Democrats appreciate proper efforts to economize, but they believe that the Republicans are playing pol- itics at the expense of Geverntnent pledges. Mr. Snyder's policy is des- tructive rather than economical. FURNISHED rooms to rent. Apply to Mrs. E. %Well. 5tf NUMBER I TEACHERS ARE • SCARCE IN STATE ' One of the important questions now before the Montana public is in con- hection with the supply of teachers. That the shortage is acute, and has been for several years, is evidenced by the calls that ate made upon Count r y Superintendents and the State Sup- erintendent of Public Instruction by 'school trustees for assistance in se- curing teachers. , Acording to a report by the Nation- al' Education Asociation, the shortage of teachers in the United States is 100,000, and in proportion to popu- lation Montana is well up on the list in the shortage. The shortage is principaly in the rural schools, whore for the sake of public welfare there should be ample supply. \ The reason for this shortage Is not' difficult to find—inadequacy of the salaries. Thousands have left the teaching profession because they can command two to four tunes greater income in other lines. This is the opinion of the United States Bureau of Education, and is founded on care- ful investigations. While men and Women in other professions have al- most an assurance that after a few years their income will increase, those in the teaching profession cannot look forward to any appreciable greater compensation. The average wage of workers in the building trades is 65 per cent higher than the salaries paid teachers, and the lowest paid railroad workers' compensation is from 48 to 52 per cent higher. In the past five years the average increase in, the salaries of teachers has been 12 per cent, while living expenses have advanced almost 100 per cent. No state in the union is more vital- ly interested in this question of an ample supply -of teschwilimpoilimlion- tana, and the State . Teachers' As- sociation, County Superintendents and State Officials who are responsible for the educational interests of the state, are co-operating to bring about auch a' condition as will result in giving the schools of the state not only an ample supply of teachers but will attract to Montana and to the teaching profession those best qualified to instruct the boys and girls upon whom will depend the fu- ture of the commonwealth. SHERMAN'S OBJECTION Senator Sherman rose in the senate the other day to object to the Rouge River bill on the ground that it was a bill for the benefit of one Henry Ford. Well, well, it would seem as if, after spending half a million dollars to keep Henry out of the Senate, Newberry and his Republican conferees ought to be willing to give him a little con- solation prize that wouldn't coat them anything. Hamilton said the only way to con- trol \the turbulent masses\ was to keep the government in the hands of \the rich and the well-born.\ Of course the rich and the well-born are justified in doing almost anything to preserve the country from itself, and anyone who wants to read the history of the Republican party, from the days when it began giving away mil- lions of acres to the railroads until it finished paying for the election of the junior senator from Michigan, will find that it has done its best to prove its whole -hearted belief in the Hamil- tonian theory of government. This • is another point for new voters, who want to know the differences between the old parties, to ponder over long and carefully. HI'S PLATFORM Hiram Johnson has gone)into t j$4 ,,ba South Dakota Primary with th er- ,..... fectly good platform: \I believe that the government be- longs to all the people, not a favored tow; that the farmer and the toiler. have the same privileges As - the ,baitk- er and the capitalist; that all claslIeS ., are subject and none superior to the 1 --- law.\ . ..,.., . 0 n I , 1 doirma ...... The only trouble with that platform N., is that . it 'exceeds the eight word lim- itation by about thirty-three words.' However, what Hirman really means to . say is the people may have the :ountry, so long as the Republicans 'lave, the government. Lewis, outnoor pnotographer.
