Montana capital referendum

In 1891, Montana legislators passed a bill to select a capital city by referendum in the general election of 1892; if no city were to win a majority, then a second referendum would be held in 1894.[1] The cities of Anaconda, Boulder, Bozeman, Butte, Deer Lodge, Great Falls, and Helena (then the temporary capital) entered the 1892 referendum after collecting enough signatures from residents.[1] In the first round, Boulder received 295 votes; Deer Lodge, 983; Great Falls, 5,049; Bozeman, 7,685; Butte, 7,752; Anaconda, 10,183; and Helena, 14,010.[2] As no city won the referendum outright, the two cities with the highest share of the vote—Helena and Anaconda—were entered to compete in the general election of 1894.[3]

The back cover of Helena's Social Supremacy, showing Helena as an octopus grasping the other cities

Both Helena and Anaconda were problematic cities for voters.[4] Where Helena, as the temporary capital, had been embroiled in political dysfunction,[upper-alpha 1] Anaconda was perceived as a working-class, industrial city under the control of Marcus Daly and his corporations.[6]

During the campaign season of September and October 1894, newspaper editorials in favor of a city were printed, and political memorabilia—including campaign buttons and banners—were minted.[7] Organizations to promote cities were formed, and rallies were held to distribute campaign materials.[7] Negative campaigning was prominent, with supporters of Helena decrying Anaconda as a socially inferior city that was beheld to a corporate business class, and with Anaconda supporters condemning Helena as a pretentious city of politics that did not possess a meaningful economy.[7] Butte's Populist Tribune, for instance, framed the referendum as a question of accepting "Helena dictatorship" over the people, and Helena's Colored Citizen[upper-alpha 2] warned that Anaconda was ruled by the same interests that "has always crushed out the black man from every factory or workshop".[9]

There were far fewer women in Anaconda than in Helena—supporters of its bid thought the settlement of women was beneficial because it could harbor a permanent population, but opponents believed it produced effeminate men.[11] Helena's Social Supremacy, a satirical pamphlet that sought to debase Helena's image, said that where the city consumed 17,669 Manhattan cocktails daily, Anaconda consumed just 127; where Helena had 774 "ladies with poodle dogs", Anaconda had none; and where Helena possessed 1,343 "skeletons in closets", Anaconda possessed 16.[12]

In November 1894, Helena was chosen over Anaconda by a margin of around 2,000 votes: Helena received 27,024 votes (51.8% of the total), and Anaconda received 25,118 (48.2%).[13] The total cost for the campaigns was between $1 and $2 million,[upper-alpha 3] in part because of their elaborate campaign strategies—which included fireworks, memorabilia, and coins.[14] One of the prominent campaigners for Helena's bid, William A. Clark, reportedly celebrated the results by purchasing Helena's residents drinks at a cost of $30,000.[upper-alpha 4][14]

Montana Capital Referendum First Round results (1892) between Helena, Anaconda, Butte, Bozeman, Great Falls, Deer Lodge, and Boulder.

Map legend

•   Helena—90–100%
•   Helena—50–60%
•   Helena—40–50%
•   Anaconda—50-60%
•   Anaconda—30–40%
•   Butte—50-60%
•   Bozeman—90–100%
•   Bozeman—50–60%
•   Bozeman—40–50%
•   Great Falls—80–90%

Montana Capital Referendum Second Round results (1894) between Helena and Anaconda.

Map legend

•   Helena-90-100%
•   Helena-80–90%
•   Helena-70–80%
•   Helena-60-70%
•   Helena-50–60%
•   Anaconda-80-90%
•   Anaconda-60-70%
•   Anaconda-50-60%

Round One (1892)[15][lower-alpha 1]

Round Two (1894)[16][lower-alpha 2]