Montana Senate votes to adopt cowboy code (Great Falls, Helena: for sale, taxes)

[Walter Greenspan]

From:
Montana Senate votes to adopt cowboy code | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune

HELENA (AP) — The (Montana) Senate has given preliminary approval to designate the "Code of the West" as the "Code of Montana."

Senate Bill 216 sponsored by Senate President Jim Peterson deals with the 10-point cowboy code from the book Cowboy Ethics by James Owen.

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Here's the 10-point cowboy code from Ten Principles To Live By (http://www.cowboyethics.org/TenPrinciples.php - broken link)


1 Live each day with courage

2 Take pride in your work

3 Always finish what you start

4 Do what has to be done

5 Be tough, but fair

6 When you make a promise, keep it

7 Ride for the brand

8 Talk less and say more

9 Remember that some things aren't for sale

10 Know where to draw the line

[Walter Greenspan]

Here's Zane Grey's version of the Code of the West


If it's not yours, don't take it.

If it's not true, don't say it.

If it's not right, don't do it.

Cowboy's word is his sacred bond.

Bargains sealed with handshake are more binding than legal documents.

Be loyal.

Demand square dealings.

Be proud of your occupation.

Lay down your life, if necessary, for the privilege of defending your outfit.

Grant quick assistance to friends and strangers in need.

Never tolerate cowards.

Be cheerful.

Endure hardships without complaining.

Don't make excuses.

Try to be better than the other fella.

Never quit.

Share anything you own with a fellow worker.

Be generous with your life and money.

Treat women like ladies.

Never shoot an un-armed or un-warned man.

Stealing and rustling are evil wrong doing.


First chronicled by the famous western writer, Zane Grey, in his 1934 novel The Code of the West, no 'written' code ever actually existed. However, the hardy pioneers who lived in the west were bound by these unwritten rules that centered on hospitality, fair play, loyalty, and respect for the land.

[Timberwolf232]

I like it! Now if we could enforce it...

[MTSilvertip]

Sounds like a good idea to me, especially if the legislature and government have to abide by it.

However, apparently, some of the provisions such as:

Quote
If it's not yours, don't take it.

If it's not true, don't say it.

If it's not right, don't do it.

Cowboy's word is his sacred bond.

Bargains sealed with handshake are more binding than legal documents.

Be loyal.

Demand square dealings.

Be proud of your occupation.
end Quote

go against the grain of some of our established politicians like king brian the lesser.
Sure glad he only has 2 years until termed out.
According to this story in the Helena rag, this is "frivolous" legislation. I guess a code of ethincs doesn't count as meaningful to some folks.


Montana Senate votes to adopt

[Reziac]

I think it's scary enough that they feel compelled to point out how we should all be living and dealing in the first place -- especially those with the power over how the rest of us live.

But that they did so -- hell, I want to see more of this kind of "frivolous" legislation. Maybe if that's all they did, we'd be way better off!!

Now, if they'd go a little further and replace the MT state codes with it...

Addendum: read the comments. I find it telling that a liberal interprets the "Code of the West" as follows:

kill or be killed
live your life to the fullest no matter what
an eye for an eye
let no man or woman trespass on your domain whatever that may be
shoot first ask questions later
my life my wife my kids are mine i will deal with them as i see fit and no one shall come between us
there's me and the law - and i come first
don't fence me in - what ever ???
locked doors are to keep honest people honest all others are to be shot on sight
this is my water not yours ,i can starve you out

I take it back, this legislation isn't the least bit frivolous, so long as there are people who mistakenly believe that BS is what it was really all about.

[Mt-7]

You should have to list all the points before you move here!

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Timberwolf232

I like it! Now if we could enforce it...

Well, we could but I suppose there'd be screams from them as objects to such a code

[Rickers]

They need to quit wasting time that is payed for by our tax money.
We all know what is right and wrong, they should be dealing with cutting spending so they don't have any excuse to raise our taxes.
They are all bastards IMHO.

[CAVA1990]

What a load of horse pucky. This so called "code" was invented by a guy from Ohio in the 1930s who never even lived on the frontier but invented a fictional West out of his imagination. Anyone who knows anything about the history of the West knows that folks back then weren't all that much different than folks now and pretty much only followed the code of survival. This often meant compromising many of the principles made up by Mr. Grey.

[sky1949]

I like Zane Grey's better.