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The River Press. Terms of Subscription : payable in advance. One year $- 00 Six months 100 Credit subscriptions, $2.50 ]>er annum. All letters and communications containing mat ter intended for publication in this paper should be addressed to u The Hiver Press," 1 and the name of the writer must be given to insure attention. Local advertisements will be inserted in these columns at the rate of ten cents per line from transient and five cents per line from regular ad vertisers. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24, 1902. A BASE CALUMNY. Are western members of congress less honorable men than their fellow law makers from eastern states? Knowing the needs of the west, are thev less disposed to enact or main tain laws that are of benefit to this part of the country, than congressmen who represent eastern constituencies? Are senators and representatives from western states indifferent to the wel fare of the people who send them to congress? Must the people of the west appeal to eastern congressmen for help when legislation on behalf of western interests is considered neces sary? These questions are suggested by re marks made by the Great Falls Tribune in reference to the repeal of certain land laws. Western members of con gress, it appears, favor the retention of the desert act and other measures whose provisions—honestly adminis tered—'Confer great benefit upon their constituents; they contend that viola tions of these laws should be punished, and that the good results rendered possible by compliance with their re quirements should be welcomed. These views are not,acceptable to the Tribune, and it proceeds to cast aspersions up on the integrity of western congress men by suggesting that eastern repre sentatives be requested to legislate for western constituencies that have good and honorable men to represent them in congress. This is the way the Tribune slanders the statesmen who represent western people in the house and senate: "The work in the direction of repeal should be done among the represent atives of the east. There the special land interests have less power, and in this matter, at least, eastern repre sentatives are more apt to be guided by what is best for the country as a whole. Not that they are better mor ally than the western representatives and senators, but they have no selfish interest to serve in-doing otherwise." What a base calumny upon western senators and representatives whose good names are their most precious heritage! On behalf of their outraged constituencies, the Kiver Pre« s resents the insinuations made against these honorable and distinguished western statesmen. In the matter of unselfish devotion to the interests of the people he represents, and a desire to secure the greatest good to the greatest num ber, the River Press is prepared to maintain that the average western member of congress is not excelled by his fellow law maker from the east or south. This newspaper pins its faith to home products, whether it be states manship or anything else that has competition from other parts of the country. Although Montana's present repre sentation in congress is not the choice of the Hiver Press, we think they are unjustly assailed in the above re marks quoted from the Great Kails Tribune. To insinuate that Hon. Caldwell Edwards, for instance, is a selfish man, and iiisloyal to the in terests of his constituents, is positive ly cruel. Everybody knows that Mr. Edwards is the great western exponent of integrity and innocence, and to ac cuse him of duplicity and connivance at land frauds is a malicious assault upon an untarnished reputation. A statesman who allows himself to be "touched" for $150 and a dress suit, is not the kind of a man to be sus pected of a cunning conspiracy against the interests of the people. Then there is that "pure person," Senator W. A. Clark, who once de fended his good name before an un sympathetic audience in Washington. Does the Tribune include Senator Clark among the western tuen who have selfish interests to serve in con nection with the maintenance of land laws? Has Senator Clark ever been associated with land grabbers? lias it appeared that Senator Clark sought to secure large areas of timber laud in Missoula county or elsewhere? If the Tribune is prepared to prove its charge in this case, it will have a respectful hearing. Senator Paris Gibson cannot be ac cused of selfish interests in this con nection. He has stated over his own signature that the public domain should be reserved for actual home builders, and his word should lie as good as his bond. Is the Tribune prepared to prove that Senator Gib son, at any time during his twenty years' residence in Montana, lui? ac-1 quired large tracts of laud for -pocil lative purposes? Has he ever partici pated in a laud grabbing scheme that evaded the intent of the law? We think western men know the! needs of the west, and have at heart ■ ihe welfare of western interests, to a greater degree than congressmen who come from eastern states. REDUCE THE TAXES. The annual report of State Auditor Calderhead has been presented to the governor, and one portion of it is made public and the important items have been published in the papers The estimates of the income of the state for the next two years are placed at $808,819 for the coming year and $807,319 for the year 1!)04. However, the estimates for the expenses of the state for these years are not made public. The sources of these amounts are of interest. From taxes, $481,819; from licenses, $212,000; from the state offi cers ' fees, $100,000; from inheritance tax, $15,000, These figures make the total of the estimates. However, there are other sources of revenue which go to the support of the state institutions and schools—for instance, nearly $200,000 a year from the lease of state lands, so altogether it seems to the taxpayers that there is plenty of mon ey with which to run the state on an elaborate scale of expenditures and still have something left. In other words, it appears to the taxpayers of the state that there could be a large reduction in the rate of taxation and still there would be income enough to carry on the affairs of the state in a businesslike manner, with possibly something over. The necessary expenditures of the state are all for the regular conduct of its business. There is no state debt upon which interest must be paid; there is no sinking fund which must be supplemented—no public buildings under construction which must be pro vided for. There is only the support of the state institutions and the regu lar expenses of the state government. During the last year it is shown that the state paid out $744,388 in warrants and $7,;">4"> for interest on warrants. The quarter of a million people of Montana are taxed, according to the report, nearly half a million dollars a year for state purposes aloue. The state tax is two and a half mills: to tlii s must be added a county tax aver aging at least ten to twelve mills, be side city taxes. Comparing the expenses and cost of running the government of Montana with those of other states in the west and northwest, it is seen that they are very much higher proportionately. The per capita expense of the state government in Montana is over two dollars. The expenses in Oregon are much less than two dollars per capita, aud 47 cents less than in Montana. In South Dakota the expenses per capita are 09 cents per capita less than In Montana. Washington state ex penses are $1.10 per capita, as against $2.28 in Montana, or a saving of $1.18 for every person in the state, making the cost of the state government in Montana on the Washington basis over a quarter of a million dollars less than at present. On the basis of cost in Nebraska, the people of this state would be saved over three hun dred and twenty thousand dollars a year. There are many directions in which economy might be practiced in the conduct of the state government. The republican members of the legislature are pledged to such legislation as will reduce the taxation of the state at least 25 per cent. Of course so:ne of the reduction would lie made in coun ty expenses—where there are as fine opportunities for economy as in the stale government. There can be no doubt in the mind of any intelligent citizen of Montana that the alYairs of state and county could be successfully carried on without detriment to the public service were this reduction made, and the people thereby relieved of one-quarter of the burden they are now forced to carry.—Helena llecord. Uriel' and Pertinent Atchison Globe: An Atchison hus band hovered at death's door so long his wife remarked that she supposed he was having his usual trouble find ing the keyhole. Atlanta Journal: The ostrich feath er mulls that are being worn this season may keep a woman's hands warm, but they are calculated to give tier iu:s* bund "cold feet." Helena lîecord: A Kansas spoils man says President Roosevelt doesn't know how to catch bears and gives him this pointer: "The liest way is to hide in the underbrush and make a noise like a piece of raw meat." N. V. World: Westward the course of connubial disaffection takes il? way! New York has to every 1,000 marriages twenty four divorces, Chi cago has 110 and Sail Francisco. 230. Indianapolis .Journal: As one r. suit of the financial management of the republican party the annual in terest on the national debt is $(>,00U, 000 less than it was before the' war with. Spain, notwithstanding the issui loan of $200,000,000. W oui ( lip Decreased. of I N. SYDNI'.V. N. S. \Y.. He serious effect nf the drouth is shown by the wool traffic on the railroads of I' the current vcai bah compared south W N ew which i< only :;p; with ">27,000"iu 1; ARE THEY THE ROBBERS? Bridger Bank liurglnrs Suspects Not Iden tified By Important Witnesses. Red Lodge , Dec. 19.— Today's de velopments add more mystery than ever to the identity of two men who perpetrated the daylight holdup of the Stockgrowei's' bank of Bridger. At the request of Piukerton Detective H. C. Aiken, of Seattle, H. C. Williams, who with Cashier Trum bo, was made to stand with his face to the wall while the bank was looted, came from his home at Fairview, near Bridger, to substantiate Trum bo's identification of Jess Linley aud "Lonesome Joe" Wallace, who are in jail here charged with the crime. Williams caused a sensation today by flatly contradicting Trum bo as to Linley and also declar ing his belief that Wallace is the wrong man. To further complicate matters, Williams also went to Cash ier R. I'!. Tail!, of the Carbon County bauk, who is intensely interested in the case, and declared he had just seen on the street the man who pointed the gun at him in the Bridger bank aud volunteered to point the man out to any man Vaill would send with him. Acting City Marshal McAllister was designated and Williams indicated to him Tommy Alreb, a cowpuncher out of a job, who has been hanging about the Red Lodge saloons of late. The officials of the three banks here place little credence in William's story and consequently Alreb was not arrested, aud it is declared he will not be. One bank official said today he had learned beyond doubt that Williams had been approached by a well known resi dent of the county and had been of fered money if he would refuse to iden tify the men whom the officers now be lieve are guilty. The fast puzzles the officers most is the absolute disappearance of the horses the men had nearly ridden to death while being pursued. The place of concealment of the money is another mystery. Aiken pinned Linley down to a confession that he once served a year in the penitentiary in North Da kota for horsestealing. Great Gambler*. In Europe and the new world the most Inveterate gamblers are the Span iards and their descendants. Among African tribes the Haussas run the Chinese very close, and there are some Kanaka tribes in the south seas who push the hazard of gambling beyond the grave and stake their very bones on a last throw of the cowrie shells, which they use as dice. A Call Down. "Pa, ain't you a director of the school board?" "Yes, I am. What of it?" "Well, teacher called me down to day, and she was awfully impolite about it." "Were you on the schoolhouse prem ises when she called yc down?" "Yes: I was on the ri.^i." — Pittsburg Press. Still Inder the Spell. Mrs. Powers— Hezekiah, if you were to live your life all over again and it came to the matter of choosing a wife do you think you would choose me? Mr. Powers (submissively*—There's no doubt about it, Maria, provided you wanted me.—Richmond Dispatch. All the actions and attitudes of chil dren are graceful because they are the offspring of the moment, without af fectation and free f r im all pretense.— Fusel i. m m s «A il m 1 i G D r IERŒ FAVORITE »RBCRIPTIOI CURES 1FEMALE WEAKNESS IT MAKES [WOMEN 1 STRONG UCK WOMEN well ' Prints All the Ne If an\ lit V' KR PliESS •"mim tidation ver\ high Catarrh Js a constitutional disease. It originates in a scrofulous condition ot the blood and depends on that condition. U often causes headache and dizziness, i:;i|)iiirs the taste, smell and hearing, af Zerts the vocal organs, disturbs the stomach. It is always radically and permanently cured by the blood-purifying, alterative and tonic action of Flood's Sarsaparilla This great medicine has wrought the most wonderful cures of all diseases depending c:. crofula or the scrofulous habit. H ood's F ills are the beBt cathartic. G. H. RAGLAND & CO., Live Stock Commission, B ank B uilding, Fort Benton, - Mont. j ere sullivan, U. S. Commissioner and Notary Public. Land Filings and Proofs. t'OKT HEX TON, - - MONTANA qhas. h. boyle, United States Commissioner. KOKT BENTON, MONT. ml tilings and proofs. Abstract of land illinge and proofs kept. Soldiers' Lund .Scrip for sale and located. l p. evans, At to 'ney-at-La w rOlîT I5EXTON - _ MONTANA, Practice in any court in the state. p e. stranahan, Attorney-at-Law. FOU'T BENTON, - MONTANA. (Late of the Helena bar.) q e. farnum, a. b., Surveyor and Irrigation Engineer. Heservoirs, Good Locations for Stock Ranches Etc., Etc. harlem, MONTANA. j^loyd q. smith, Surveyor and Civil Engineer. Prices reasonable, and good work guaranteed. Reservoir Work a Specialty. CHINOOK, MONTANA. C hase & P atterson, LIVE STOCK BROKERS. FORT BENTON, Mont. DENTISTRY. m fro m 9/ N m jjP DR. GEO. H. TAYLOR, Fort Benton, Mont. I'irst Door South ill'Grand Union Hotel. Will bo tit home ottice until the Kith of each month. At Chinook from 10th to end of month, Ofllee in Lohman Block. SHORT ROUTE FAST TIME TO MINNEAPOLIS a n 1) ST. PAUL. Connecting with all railways for New York, Chicago, and all points East and South. Enstlioimd Wodbonml II.in UKNTON 1 :-17 p.m. A. C. nr lu'hki KU), A'jf'iif. hi". nt on i.oihu:. n< I. O. O. F. .v. & —-*5 Meets every Saturd: . veninu at Odd Fellows' liai 1. Visiting: mein fotrf recordiallv invited to attend. F. II ToWKK, N O. II. B. Lkw is, Keo. Sec. Kirn Boo'v aud .loh Printing a spi - It \ i: tli.' UlVI'.K t'kkss Otl'co. £7/?£/ir FA LIS G RE, AT F JILLS , MONTANA. Ninth Annual Fail Term Opens Sept. 2d. New Pupils May Enter at Any Time. Class or Private Instruction, Bookkeeping Typewriting Knglisli Hranclie» Arithmetic Fenmannliip Commercial Law Hanking Shorthand Husiness Practice Spelling Kapid Calculation Correspondence Musical Instruction—Piano and alt string instruments. We assist our students to positions. Day and Night School. Write l'or Catalogue. S. H. BAUM AN. Telephone 241 A F. C. PRESTON. Center Meat Market, Main Stree fort benton, - mont. Fresh Meats of ail kinds in Their Season. frank M cdonald, Prop'r. Grand Union Hotel, m Hb «i Fort Benton, Mont. Only First Class Hotel in the City Steam Heat. Rooms Singly or en Suite., electric lights, Baths and Closets on each Floor Rates: $1.50,52.00 arid $2.50 per day COMMODIOUS SAMPLE ROOMS. JOHN H. GREEN, Proprietor. JOS. SULLIVAN, Saddle aud Harness Manufacturer. Agent for the Celebrated MITCHELL MOUNTAIN WAGONS . McCormick Mowers, Reapers and Steel Rakesf Standard Binding Twine Wagon Sheets, Stockmen's Bed Sheets, Tarpaulins. Best Line of Saddlery Goods of every description. tjgjr Will manufacture any goods in my line on short notice. Mailorder! will receive prompt attention. JOS. SULLIVAN FRONT ST., FORT BENTON. THE BUCKEYE Mowing Machines Repairs Constantly on Band. THE AERMCT0R, The best wind machine on earth. Ail steel de rick. Both wheel and derrick galvanized and therefore indestructible. W. 0. DEXTER, Agent, Fort Benton, Mont. Correspondence solicited Send for catalogue and prios The RIVER PRESS (Weekly Edition) PRINTS jj ALL THE NEWS. Î S2.0 O A YEAR. River Press Pab. Co., Fort Benton. Mont. ©J8e y^er ©reM cpuêfi^fiirjy d>c —for every description of— j o *3 phintif gf,