HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTANA v S A 1 I ;*v To Survive, Rural Electrics I *i /( WPr // ; •A 11 TO p 1 ■ Urged To "Dream Big ajSJSZ ■ ,çr_ ram i Wir r r riiryfl- .inü Montana Rural Electric Co-opera­ Gus Norwood told the convention MONTANA'S ONLY STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER tive members were told they must that we must do something about the renew the courage they had 15 years 6 million kilowatts of power that are Vol. XVII—No. 48 HELENA, MONTANA, NOVEMBER 1956 $3.00 Per Year ago and dream big if they are going running to the sea from Montana to survive, and they wese told Mon­ every year, which he said are equal to tana allows 6 million kilowatts to run 12 Bonnevilles. Vote Tuesday, Nov. 6; 'fs Your to the sea, at their annual convention HELLS CANYON FIGHT in Lewistown, October 29, 30 and 31. FAR FROM OVER Outstanding speakers featured at He told REA people, “Do not be­ the three day annual convention in­ lieve the Hell’s Canyon fight is over cluded Senator Mike Mansfield, Gov­ by any means. If it costs 10 million Responsibility and Yoi| Privilege ernor Aronson, Gus Norwood, execu­ dollars to buy out the Idaho Power tive secretary, NW Public Power Asso­ Company it would still be a gold mine ciation ; Vance Austin, Executive man­ and we could go ahead and scrap the Interest In Governor’s Race Overshadows Al) Other Co’ s ager, Colorado REA Association; little project”. Norwood stated, “The David Hamil, administrator of REA issue is far from closed”. An anticipated 80 to 85 per cent of registered Montana Ts will be going to the polls next ard candidates for office, including Vance Austin, from Colorado, said Tuesday, with the high turnout due principally to the torric Lernatorial race between incum- LeRoy Anderson and Arnold Olsen. REA people neen to identify their bent Gov. J. Hugo Aronson and Attorney General Arnold _ ^n and to widespread discontent Senator Mansfield outlined the his­ friends, and their friends are people in rural areas over the worsening farm price structure brought about by the policies of Ezra tory of REA power and pointed out with a broad basic belief in the prin­ ciples of power development He said * that “no grants or subsidies are in­ Taft Benson. volved in REA power”. He said, “REA to survive REA’s need power at a cost Because of almost one hundred mil­ as businessmen in Billings think it The oil crowd is placing all its chips is the banker and all loans are repaid they can afford—that it isn’t enough lion dollars drop in annual faim in­ ought to be and the Fjare-caused de­ in this contest on Miss Harriet Mil­ from the operating revenue of the that more can be bought at a higher come, and much of the glamor having lay of Yellowtail and the loss of con­ ler, Montana State University Dean locally owned, locally managed sys­ price. He pointed out that every 5-7 worn off General Eisenhower in the struction millions involved therewith, of Students. Miss Miller, like Gov. tems”. He also said, “. Montana years REA’s double their need for last three and one half years, many indicates a bad time forthcoming in Aronson, is attempting to make much borrowers have paid $3,229,100 interest power. observers figure Adlai Stevenson has southcentral Montana for the fresh­ of what they claim is a multi-million- on their government loans . (and) Austin said, ‘‘It is your responsibil­ a chance to pick up Montana’s four man congressman from Big Timber. dollar loss suffered by the schools be­ $2,930,349 of payments have been ity that there be adequate power when electoral college votes next Tuesday. Anderson is a strong supporter of the cause of the activities of Miss Condon made ahead of schedule”. He added, you need it, and that is the biggest Eisenhower won Montana by a 51,000 proposed federal Yellowtail Dam proj­ and Mr. Olsen on the State Land “No payments are overdue. This is a single problem facing REA’s now”. majority in 1952. (As seen from this ect. Board. great record”. (Continued on Page Five) Editor’s view, I wouldn’t bet a nickel In the first district congressional School people throughout the state on which one of the two cany the race. Rep. Lee Metcalf is expected to have taken issue with the Miller- state. Instead I’ll spend my time hop­ have a comparatively easy time of it Aronson claims, pointing out that in ing that the people of Montana see in his campaign for a third term spite of the Aronson-oil crowd-caused the light this time, and register a re­ against W. R. McDonald of Belgrade. delay of school land leasing, the sounding vote against Eisenhower- Metcalf, in two terms, has proven schools of the state received the “legal Benson farm-bankrupting policies, and himself a hard-working representative maximum of state aid” for the years f against the many broken promises of all the people of the first district 1951 through 1955. v made to labor and small business by and has built for himself a strong fol­ School people who understand the « Eisenhower in 1952.) lowing which cuts across party lines. foundation program, are quick to Ip Voters in some sections of the state CENTER OF VOTER INTEREST point out that Montana’s public have added reasons for turning out Hottest race of all is that for the schools could not legally have re­ Il ■ en masse at the polls. For example, ceived any more state aid during in the Yellowstone-Bighorn counties’ Governorship between two seasoned campaigners wrho are battling it out those years regardless of how much ix area it is expected the vote for Con­ might have been available. gressman will be particularly large right down to the final bell. Gov. Aron­ ; Under with State Senator LeRoy Anderson son, with heavy corporate support, the present school foundation cutting in heavily into the nominally particularly from the oil industry, has program law, not one cent of any ad­ ditional funds (real or fancied) could i big majorities accorded Republican been campaigning the way he knows have gone to replace compulsory candidates in that area, in his attempt best—by personal contact with the levies or any other district school to unseat Cong. Orvin Fjare. voters, and without too much stress Reports indicate that Fjare’s “turn­ on his stewardship of the state since levies for any district receiving equali­ about” on Yellowtail Dam and the taking office in January 1953. zation aid. subsequent presidential veto of right- Attorney General Olsen, although ANOTHER TIGHT FIGHT ’ P. of-way funds for the damsito has put vigorously opposed by the oil indus­ In contests for the other two spots him in real trouble down Yellowstone try, the private utilities and the gam­ on the State Land Board, the race Love these Montana people . way. Business isn’t as good, overall. bling racket, has captured the imagi­ between Supreme Court Clerk Prank nation of thousands upon thousands of Murray and State Treasurer Edna Entering the Finlen Hotel in Butte Harry Truman was in high spirits. the rank-and-file of Montana people, Hinman for the office of Secretary of Left to right (the ones we know): Sen. James E. Murray, Arnold Olsen, and is receiving strong support from Ex-Pres. Harry Truman, Lou Boedecker, Leif Erickson. Another Aronson labor, farmer, religious and small (Continued on Page Eight) business groups. Olsen is an equally tireless cam­ Doesn’t Give Them Heli . Just Tells the Truth . Yarn Is Debunked paigner and, since early spring, has Just in case any of you readers are been taking hiß program for a better, confused over the assertion in the last cleaner and more prosperous Montana big Aronson-for-Governor club ad that to every village and hamlet in the the “forever” school oil lease bill was state. There isn’t a single county he HST Calls Spade a Spsde “ . passed by the 1953 Legislature hasn’t visited at least once, and most (without dissenting vote) ...” here ho has visited three or more times, are the facts as taken from Senate and getting acquainted with the people House Journals for 1953. and what they expect from state gov­ In the House, (Journal, page 152), 30 ernment. The fight for the Governorship is In Hitting GOP Record representatives are shown as voting against Sub. HB 48 the “forever” considered a close one with Olsen given the odds to win by a few thou­ lease bill. Of these 30, six were Repub­ Somebody in the audience yelled “give ’em hell, Harry”, to which the a way of making itself known. sand majority. licans. former Presdient replied ... “I don’t give them hell. I just tell the truth “Adlai Stevenson and Estes Kefauv- In the Senate (Journal, page 346), ANOTHER HOT CONTEST about them and they think it’s hell”. er are putting on a terrific campaign. 22 senators voted against the bill. Of The race for State Superintendent Thus did Harry S. Truman be#in his statewide (16 station) broadcast They are going all over the coimtry these 22, seven were Republicans. of Public Instruction finds much the from Butte Friday evening. Having answered his unknown enthusiast, he and they are telling the truth. I hope Additionally, in the Senate, the then same coalition opposing incumbent then proceeded to tell both his Butte and radio audience the truth about the you have been listening to them.