Letters to the editor

A state bank?

I am concerned about Brian Schweitzer's plan to create a state bank and put the government into the business of making loans to businesses from the coal trust. What does he actually know about banking and more importantly, fiscal responsibility? I shudder at the thought of a board appointed by Schweitzer lending out millions of dollars from the principal of the coal trust fund to ventures of their choosing. How can we risk the principal of one of our most important investments, the coal trust, in such a scheme? Brian Schweitzer's plan could tamper with funds now dedicated for improvements for water projects like the Dry Prairie Water System, money for bridges, roads and highways. We would risk losing millions of dollars in federal matching funds and delay essential infrastructure projects. For decades Democrats have fought to protect the coal trust fund; why should they suddenly change their stance for Brian Schweitzer?

Dan Wickens

1914 8th Ave

False thinking

I don't think I've ever read so much false thinking and deviation from Catholic doctrine as that of the article about the Gay-Straight Alliance at Carroll College. While defending human dignity is a major philosophy of the Catholic Church, homosexual sex acts are sins and absolutely against Catholic teaching. The typical ploy of the homosexual community is to reject "small passages by conservative theologians to condemn homosexuality" from the Old and New Testaments. Whatever you don't like, just reject it, and that makes everything all right. This attitude is more impressive when it is known that 92 percent of homosexuals are atheists.

Sexual orientation is a choice. Race, sex and nationality are not.

I was at the last legislature committee meeting regarding the inclusion of homosexuals into the anti-discrimination law. Before the meeting was over it was apparent that the homosexuals were the biggest discriminators of all for their treatment of the Boy Scouts and the Salvation Army.

What is more painful to me is that the leaders at Carroll have condoned the alliance and are therefore condoning homosexuality and homosexual sex acts, which are still sins in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

Wm. D. Wise, M.D.

10 Wallace Rd.

Clancy

Lichen poisoning

Following my graduation in 1960, I practiced veterinary medicine in eastern Wyoming for several years. These were years of severe drought in that area and range conditions were poor. It was not uncommon for me to see cases of "ground lichen" poisoning in range cattle. Never epidemic, many ranches were troubled with sporadic occurrences throughout the grazing seaon. The affected animals displayed what I observed to be an ascending paralysis beginning in the hindquarters, progressing forward, and leading to loss of the animal. Good feed, good nursing, and the use of injectable CNS stimulants could halt progression of symptoms, but only rarely reverse them. Why some cattle were affected (i.e. ate lichen?) while others were not was never clear, but we did observe that lichen was plentiful. The prevailing winds frequently created small piles of lichen that provided amounts that cattle could sufficiently ingest. To my knowledge, area wildlife were not affected.

During my tenure as a Montana State veterinarian (1968-1993), "ground lichen" poisoning in domestic animals was never reported and to my knowledge, has not been reported in Montana.

Donald Ferlicka, DVM

2730 Wilson Ave.

Back Bair Museum

Tourism is a major pillar of the rural Montana economy, supporting local business and jobs and bringing tax revenues to local governments. Tourist spending in a particular community or region is dependent, in part, on attractions and events available. Less events and attractions translates into less visitation. The Bair Museum, located in Martinsdale, Meagher County, is one of a few remaining historic attractions available to draw tourists to rural Central Montana. In 2003, the Bair Musuem advisory board suspended operation of the Museum. In addition, the Museum Trustee, USBank, has taken the art work and Native American collection to put on display at the Yellowstone Art Museum. These actions have angered the residents of Meagher and Wheatland counties, who see the closure and dispersal of Bair artifacts and art as another contributor to the economic decline of central rural Montana. Gateway Economic Development Corporation believes Montana must strive to balance our state with events and attractions that can benefit all Montana businesses and communities. We have lost many of our heritage attractions and must begin to support, through visitation and all other available means, the extensive historical and cultural attractions that we have in the Gateway region and central Montana.

Sheldon Bartel

Gateway Economic Development

Corporation

225 Poplar Ave