University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1990 Miles Romney Jr., chronicler of the neglected truth Christine L. Johnson The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Johnson, Christine L., "Miles Romney Jr., chronicler of the neglected truth" (1990). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 2982. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/2982 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Mike and Maureen MANSFIELD LIBRARY Copying allowed as provided under provisions of the Fair Use Section of the U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW, 1976. Any copying for commercial purposes or financial gain may be undertaken only with the author's written consent. MontanaUniversity of MILES ROMNEY JR. CHRONICLER OF THE NEGLECTED TROTH By Christine L. Johnson B. S., Montana State College, 1958 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts University of Montana 1990 Approved by Dean, Graduate School / Dat UMI Number: EP36377 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT OtaMrtation Publishing UMI EP36377 Published by ProQuest LLC (2012). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Johnson, Christine L., M. A., August 1990 Journalism Miles Romney Jr., Chronicler of the Neglected Truth (294 pp.) Director: Robert C. McGiffert Miles Romney Jr. served as editor of the Western News, a small western Montana newspaper, for 45 years—most of the time from 1922 until his death in 1976. Romney was enthusiastically partisan, championing all kinds of democratic and progressive viewpoints. He was also fiercely independent—openly critical of the abuses of big business interests in the state, especially those of Montana Power Company and the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, which owned most of Montana's daily newspapers until 1959. Romney suffered both financially and personally because of his strong stands. Romney served in both the Montana House and Senate. His legacy included being instrumental in the passage of a law providing for a quick, inexpensive method for a husband or wife who had lost a spouse to settle the estate without court intervention. He was also largely responsible for a constitutional amendment requiring that a certain percentage of all coal severance tax funds be put in a permanent trust fund. Romney was also a delegate to the Montana Constitutional Convention and an avid outdoorsman— working in the field, in the legislature, and at his typewriter to promote numerous conservation projects. Research for this project centered on the bound volumes of the Western News from 1895-1977, and a series of interviews with Romney's widow, friends, journalism and legislative associates, and some Montana Power Company representatives who remembered Romney's sharp editorial voice. Appendices include samples of Romney's work plus copies of memorial tributes to him at the time of his death. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A special thank you to Ruth Romney for so generously spending many hours with me sharing memories of her husband and their life together. To Erma Owings, Director of the Ravalli County Museum, my gratitude for her valuable research assistance. Thanks also to my committee members, Professors Robert C. McGiffert and Jerry R. Holloron, both of the School of Journalism, and Professor H. D. Hampton, Department of History. Their willingness to be transoceanic participants in this project is greatly appreciated. A final salute to the late Professor Warren Brier, who guided me through the important first steps of this paper with graciousness and good humor. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter 1. "DEATH HAS PUT HIS FINGER UPON ME" 5 2. FAMILY HISTORY 15 3. GROWING UP YEARS 23 4. GETTING STARTED 42 5. MATURING AS AN EDITOR 1937-1959 60 6. COVERING THE NEWS 82 7. A MATTER OF STYLE 96 8. ROMNEY, THE OUTDOORSMAN 120 9. CHALLENGES OF THE 1960s 131 10. THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION 164 11. THE FINAL YEARS 187 12. A FAREWELL AND A PERSPECTIVE 211 APPENDIX 1 " SAMPLES OF MILES ROMNEY JR.'S WORK .... 228 APPENDIX 2 - MEMORIAL TRIBUTES 278 SOURCES CONSULTED 291 iv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Miles Romney Jr 4 2. Miles Romney Jr. with Gilbert Jelinek, circa 1940 . 81 3. "The Mammoth's Got a Monkey on His Back" 261 v INTRODUCTION Miles Romney Jr. served as editor of the Western News, a Hamilton, Montana, weekly newspaper, for 45 years. His father bought an interest in the paper in 1895, became sole owner soon after, and turned it over to Romney in 1922. Except for several interruptions in the early years, Romney continued as editor until his death in 1976. Early in his career Romney adopted a slogan to express the crusading spirit that surrounded much of what he did and was—"Chronicler of the Neglected Truth." The Western News, under the two Romneys, was one of the few papers in the state to consistently call attention to the slanted viewpoints presented by the Montana newspapers owned by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. It would be a mistake, however, to make this research project simply the study of a newsman, for Romney was more than an observer writing pungent and sometimes witty editorials. He believed that a true concern for good government or a healthful environment demanded in-the-field participation. When he did participate, he made contributions to the state of Montana that are still being felt. 1 2 For example, Romney was an active member of the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association. Through that group, and with the cooperation of the Montana Fish and Game Department, he organized and made numerous pack trips into high mountain lakes to plant fish. The progeny of those fish are still being harvested by sportsmen. As a member of the Montana House and Senate, he was one of the first to campaign for a significant tax on coal mined in the state, because he believed the natural resources of the state were meant to benefit all citizens and not just corporate investors. But approval of such a coal severance tax was not enough for Romney. Late in the 1975 legislative session he was able to convince his colleagues to pass a bill calling for a constitutional amendment that would assign one-fourth to one-half of a coal severance tax to a permanent trust fund. The principal of that fund could be appropriated only by a three-fourths vote in each house of the Legislature. Voters approved the amendment in 1976, nine months after Romney"s death. He was also instrumental in the passage of a law providing for a quick, inexpensive method for a husband or wife who had lost a spouse to settle his or her estate without court intervention. In 1971 he served as a delegate to the Montana Constitutional Convention and distinguished himself as an excellent source of information about state history and 3 government. He also gained a reputation as an outstanding orator. Examples of Romney's wit and storytelling abilities, both written and oral, are still shared with enthusiasm, and I will continue that pleasant tradition here. Miles Romney Sr. was inducted into the Montana Newspaper Hall of Fame in 1968 and his son, in 1982. They are the only father and son to be so honored, and their pictures and biographies are displayed with other inductees in the halls of the School of Journalism at the University of Montana. Miles Romney Jr. (Photo courtesy of Ruth Romney) CHAPTER 1 "DEATH HAS PUT HIS FINGER UPON ME"1 In June 1974 Americans were hotly debating whether Richard Nixon ought to resign in the wake of the Watergate scandal or be subjected to an impeachment proceeding. In Montana, citizens were arguing whether the new state constitution, ratified in 1972, was bringing more openness and responsiveness to government or represented a loss of some important safeguards. They were largely unimpressed with the first mandated annual session of the Legislature and expressed a general wait-and-see attitude about the strange new phenomena called Local Government Study Commissions. In Western Montana's Ravalli County, and especially in the county seat, Hamilton, people argued heatedly about whether the old county courthouse should be torn down or preserved as a museum. Miles Romney Jr., long-time editor and publisher of Hamilton's weekly, the Western News, was concerned about all 1Miles Romney Jr., "Death Has Put His Finger Upon Me," editorial, Hamilton (Montana) Western News, June 19, 1974, p. 2. See appendix 1 for full text of this editorial. 5 6 those subjects and had been expressing his opinions about them in his usual lengthy editorials. He was also completing a year as state senator, having been appointed to the position in July 1973 when Senator W. A. (Bill) Groff became Deputy Director of the Montana Department of Revenue.1 Romney had just won the Democratic nomination for the position for next term and was looking ahead to a stiff general election battle with the Republicans' candidate, Steve Mills.