enforced; the eight-hour day is general in the mines, about the smelters, on all public 

 and practically all private work. Practically all women employes are given an eight- 

 hour day by state law; an efficient administered workmen's compensation law is 

 in successful operation at a lower administrative cost than that attained in any 

 other state in the Union. In short, the state has endeavored to make the square 

 deal a part of the every day life of every citizen and to make impossible the 

 exploitation of this generation at the expense of the next. 



Education Is Encouraged. 



For the uplift and education of the people there are many institutions which 

 show the progressive spirit and intelligence of those in authority. Excellent schools 

 in every community in the state, churches, Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. organizations 

 in the larger cities, colleges and academies, live newspapers that are equal to those 

 of any city in the country, all these speak well for the development of the mind. 



Chautauquas are held in most of the towns each summer which bring prominent 

 men of the nation into the communities. Many places have civic leagues, women's 

 clubs and parent-teacher associations to look after the welfare of the communities. 



A good deal lias been done toward supplying the people of the state with good 

 literature in its libraries. Under the state department of education, each school 

 district is required to spend a certain sum for library books each year. Because of 

 this, good libraries are being built up in each school and these books are generally 

 accessible to the people of the community. The larger cities have their city libraries. 

 The state historical library in the State Capitol at Helena, is one of the most com- 

 plete in its line in the country. 



Montana boasts also of the fact that Great Falls is the home of the famous 

 painter, Charles M. Russel, the foremost painter of western life today. He has made 

 Montana famous in his productions. 



Interest in Reform Legislation. 



The people of Montana exhibit a deep interest in public affairs and in the 

 more recent reform movements. The women of Montana enjoy equal suffrage, 

 and the state has, and uses, both the direct primary and the initiative and referendum. 

 Everywhere may be seen evidence of the effort that has been made toward making 

 a cleaner, better state. Coupled with better wages and living conditions, may be 

 cited the fact that gambling of all kinds has been suppressed and that the state has 

 voted, by an overwhelming majority, to abolish the saloon on December 31, 1918. 



In a special legislative session, the state has endorsed the amendment to the 

 federal constitution for national prohibition. It also passed sedition and sabotage 

 laws for the protection of its citizens during the war. The state is efficiently 

 organized under a State Council of Defense and County Councils of Defense, which 

 is turn work through Community Councils for the welfare of the people. Red Cross 

 organizations are active and enthusiastically supported in all of the different com- 

 munities of the state. Thus Montana, while offering to the honest and energetic 

 of all classes opportunity to better their condition in life, also strives valiantly and 

 successfully toward that wholesome enviroment which makes life more worth living 

 and without which success in a material way becomes scarcely worth while. 



Political Conditions Wholesome. 



The people of Montana have a fine public spirit and pride in the affairs of 

 state. No state government has been more free from administrative scandals. 

 The magnificient State Capitol at Helena, built out of Montana sandstone and granite 

 at a cost of $1,100,000 is universally regarded as a splendid monument to honest and 

 efficient public service. 



Politically, Montana is always "doubtful" at election times, the balance of 

 power being held by those who are not bound by party ties. The state is thus not 

 only well protected from the abuses of unbridled political power, but it is also 

 assured a strong sense of responsibility on the part of those entrusted to public 

 office. In the first national election following statehood, Montana's electoral vote 

 was cast for Benjamin Harrison, in 1896 and 1900 for W. J. Bryan, in 1904 for 

 Theodore Roosevelt, in 1908 for W. H. Taft and in 1912 and 1916 for Woodrow 

 Wilson. The present state administration is bipartisan, the elective officials being 

 about equally divided between the democratic and republican parties. 



