The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-08-24

"a moor excuse is better tnan none, says
an old proverb but only a little reflection is
needed to show us that ibis saying IS lar
from being universally true in its applicant
ity. Sometimes q poor excuse is far worse
than none: or at least far worse than silence.
The man whose course We do not approve
may escape censure so long as we are OF the
opinion that he has reasons, accepted by his
own Judgment at least, as good and sufficient
motives for having entered upon that course.
While we are of this way of thinking, and
50 long as the individual keeps his mouth
shut, he may possibly possess our respect;
however Objectionable may be certain OF his
proceedings when viewed apart and consid-
cred by themselves. No sooner. however,
does he undertake to justify those proceed
ings than he is confronted by the immediate
necessity of producing a sufficient and accept
able defense OF them. If he succeeds in so
doing then all is well. If he fails; if he
breaks silence only to bring forward q limp
ing, soplistical excuse, one that could not
possibly find acceptance of any intelligent
mind, then his defense of words is weakness
where his defense Of silence had been
strength, and his poor excuse is a thousand
times worse than none at all. The charita-
Bile conjectures in which we had sought justi-
fication for his moral lapses are Immediately
dismissed. His faults lie glaringly before us
in all their enormity and the condemnation
formerly withheld while judgment was sus-
pended is now pronounced in no unmeasured
terms.
An instance of this kind is afforded in the
recent course of the Independent. When the
Independent saw fit to adorn itself with the
MaginDis collar a week or more ago, the pub
lie being uninformeu as to its motives in TAX
ing that step, was not in a position to pro-
ounce al nnreservcd judgment upon it.
The taste displayed by a protested party
leader in acting as the moutlIpiecc and pocket
organ of an individual might be made the
subject Of caustic criticism, but so long as we
were in doubt as to the more serious motives
lying bch nd, and which had to be revealed
before the independents course of action
could be inLelligently passed upon, charity
suggested the possibility of those motives be-
ing founded on more substantial reasons than
WI 'NSo 1T oi'i W. wiz
warned to judge not rashly ON insufficient
grounds. 1t was a case of defense by silence.
But lately the Independent has spoken: it has
made a defense of words, and in its defense
as presented We nave a notable instance of Il
poor excuse being far, far worse than none.
1t bases its support OF a tiftI, term upon the
following considerations:
If Hancock is elected, lis administration
will be Desiegeu by a horde Of Oliice-seekcrs
and unless strong influences are brought to
bear, the territory will be flooded with a lot
of foreign appointees. New judges, ignorant
Of our laws, will sit upon the bench, and
every other office IN the territory will be filled
0y a new set of politicians who would, doubt
less undertake to run matters in Montana to
suit themselves, and would furnish all the
congressional a%spirants required by our Butte
contemporary.
Nothing would be so disastrous to the
democratic party as this state of things. The
old war horses Of the party weuld find them
selves supplantcd by a new set Of men, and
general disgust would doubtless take posses
sion of the old leaders of the party, and
largely of its masses. To avert such a calami-
ty, it is important that We send to congress
that man who would have the greatest iniu-
ence with the incoming administration and
VII OLE L udt JIldl . uCSol ~ tuuCS-
ton the Hon. Martin Maginnis. The life
long friend of General Hancock, and one OF
the recognized leaders of democratic thought
in congress. Maginnis can avert from lis this
deluge of foreign otticcholtcrs if any man in
Montana could do it.
Now, this defense would do very well il
we had a Caliplatc instead Of a Presidency
Of the United States. We can readily mag
t-. A.. <.I:l .aJ ..-I. L. a.
enctd to a very great extent by WISER Ma
ginnis, or by Maginnis, rasha of Three Tails
! perhaps We should say Of five terms--bu,
, unfor tunately for the above choice littlt
morc.du Of sopliistry We have not a Galiphat.
to be run by favoritisln. We lavc.a Presi
g the policy OF his administration tOward terri
i tories, whatever Tie same may be-, will be ap
s piled to Montana in common with the othe
territories. If the democratic administratio
C borrow from the republicans the ihiquitou
t policy of filling all territorial offices with ap
pointmcnts made from the older states of gen
o tlemen entirely ignorant Of frontier people Q
frontier life, then that system will be applie'
TO Montana, Mr.. Maginnis to the contrar
Notwithstanding DO matter how much Of
talent he may have Of Inspiring rural news
papers with awe of the momcntous i%ntuenc
he Yields at Washington. Ii the democrat
administration decide upon making states al
pointments to territorial offices the lndepend
ent may possess its soul in the peaceful assul
ancc that no rural rooster from the frontie
even though he be the ''personal friend {
General Hancock will be allowed to clail
for the Territory he repl csc ntS rXenntlo