20 MONTANA 19U 



State from the abuses of nnbricHed political power but also develops a 

 strong- sense of responsibility on the. part of those entrusted to 

 Speaking public office. In the first election following statehood, Mon- 



of the Poli- tana's electoral vote was case for Benjamin Harrison; in 1896 

 tical Side and 1900 it was cast for W. J- Bryan; in 1904 for Theodore 



of It. Roosevelt; in 1908 for W. H. Taft, and in 1912 for Woodrow 



Wilson. The present state administration is democratic, the 

 democratic candidates having been elected by pluralities ranging from 

 \ ,000 to 7,000. 



Strong interest is displayed b}' the people of Montana in public affairs, 

 and the State has been singular!}- free from administrative scandal.'^. The 

 magnificent capitol at Helena was built at a total cost of $1,100,000, 

 and is universally regarded as a splendid example of a state getting the full 

 worth of every dollar spent. 



Political power is jealously guarded by the people, and through the 

 instrumentality of a direct primary law, under Avhich all nominations are 

 made, they keep in close touch with political conditions. Through the 

 initiative and refcren.dur.i clause of the State constitution thcv reserve to 

 themselves the power to enact or defeat legislation by popular vote, a power 

 which thus far has been seldom and always wisely used. 



The people of ^Mon.tana welcome outside capital and treat it with every 



degree of fairness, at the same time insisting that capital be also fair with 



Lhe people. Every brancli of legitimate industry is encouraged, while the 



people ampl}' safeguard themselves with every necessary pro- 

 Fair Play tectior. A railroad and public service commission has been 

 Is Guaran- established to regulate the rates of every public service corpo- 

 teed to All. ration and common carrier; a "blue sky" law has been enacted 



to protect investors from the operations of fraudulent pro- 

 moters, a grain inspection department looks after the proper grading of 

 jMontana grain; farmers are protected in their seed purchases hx a svstem 

 of free seed inspection; weights and measures and pure food laws are 

 rigidly enforced ; an eiglit-hour day for underground miners lias been written 

 into the State constitution and the eiglit-hour dav is in force on all public 

 and practically all private Avorks ; child labor is prohibited, while the law 

 prohibits employers from requiring women employes to work more than 

 nine hours a day in certain classes of employment ; the promotion of the 

 dairying industry is in the hands of a state dairy department; an efficient 

 and well managed agricultural experiment station, with sub-stations in 

 various parts of the State, carries on extensive work among the farmers of 

 Montana, and good road-building is encouraged by a state highwav com- 

 mission. 



-Montana has the state fair that educates. 



