Havre Daily News should keep opinions on Opinion page

Editor:

This is in response to a controversy to an "advertisement" or a "news item" you ran on the front page on the topic of a negative mailing sent out by an organization who wanted to damage Kris Hansen ("State Democrats target Rep. Hansen in Havre," March 2). Hansen is District 33 representative to the state legislature.

Yes, I know there is nothing illegal about running an ad on the front page of a newspaper, but a professional journalist does separate "opinion" out of the "news story." At the same time, a news writer does not imply their opinion of their personal choice of who they favor in a contest between two political parties. I would suggest you let the editor or the publisher do any opinion expressing on the proper page for the official newspaper opinion.

By the way, Rep. Hansen has spent lots of time with the Education Interim Committee where they heard a number of various officials and interested citizens from public, higher education and reservation organizations explaining their programs. Rep. Hansen did ask a number of questions of the speakers, when I observed their meetings. She does have the right approach to her responsibility as a legislator.

Don Mahlum

Havre

Editor's note: The article in question was a story about an effort by Democrats to distribute leaflets in Havre in an attempt to unseat Rep. Kris Hansen. The author did not give any opinions as to whether he agreed or disagreed with the effort. The Havre Daily News offered Hansen an opportunity to respond to the allegations made in the leaflet. The offer is still open.