The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-10-25
KNOWLES -srArEsMANsH1e.

KNOWLES CRAFTSMANSHIP.
Judge Knowles has been called by
the Republicans who nominated
him for Congress a great statesman;
q man of prophetic foresight, a tried
and consistent Republican, and a
firm friend to Silver Bow county. A
"tried and consistent Republican,"
Judge Knowles may be, but not one
of the other modest claims is based
on fact, and We can prove it. Dur
ing the Maginnis and Sanders CAM
paign in 1880, when the question of
the division Of Deer Lodge county
was being agitated, and when the
business interests of Butte were seri-
ousIy injured by the location of the
county seat at Deer Lodge, and the
people of what now constitutes Sill
yer Bow county we're clamoring for
q separate county organization Judge
Knowles was one of the speakers at a
mass meeting held in front of the
building now occupied by the Butte
Hardware Co. The gentleman was,
at that time, a resident of Deer
Lodge. He we'll knew that the di-
vision of the county would be an act
of simple justice to the richest and
most populous part of it. He knew,
if he possessed that craftsmanship"
claimed for him by his partisan
friends, that the best interests of the
great majority OF the peo-
pie here demanded a di-
vision. He comprehended, or
should have comprehended, how
grossly outrageous it would be to per
petuate the then existing condition
of affairs. Yet this great and good
citizen, this wise and %far-seeing
statesman, this public spirited, be-
%nevolent, fair-minded and honorable
gentleman stood Ga the verandah Of
the building above mentioned and
tongue-lashed and insulted the intel
ligence and manhood of the residents
of Butte because they protested aginst
doing all their county and court bus.
mess in Deer Lodge aud because they
desired to establish a new county Or
g%anization.
This sagacious and president orator
to whom the quality of selfshness
and sectionalism is so abhorrent, this
~far-seeing "~statesman," this 'capa-
bic, careful, experienced jurist" of
broad and liberal ideas, told his hear
ers that if the nefarious schemes of
county division were persisted in
contrary to the wishes of the Deer
Lodge people that bankruptcy and
ruin would fellow; that taxation
would eat up the public substance;
that corrupt and mercenary office
hunters would gather at the public
crib; that the people Of Butte
would soon be compelled
to beg to be taken back to the pro-
tecting arms OF the Deer Lodge
county fathers, and that chaos
would come again. Time, he said,
would show his %utterances to be
prophetic, and would show the wis
dom of his words.
Before concluding his ~oracular
address he became livid with rage,
and declared that all kinds Of calami-
ties would betall the people and their
industries. From a report of his
speech published in the MINER Of
November 1st, 1880, We abstract the
following:
HE said if the project should be
carried through, the division line
would be run neal the Hump and
that only Butte would he in the new
county (no applause) and that Butte
would have to pay all the taxes.
Then the Deer Lodge orator became
enraged, his voice seemed to proceed
from his boots, and he declared in
tones of thunder that if the Repub-
licans of Butte persisted III voting
for the division, contrary to the ex-
pressed will of himself and the peo-
pie of Deer Lodge, that the con-
sequences would be disastrous
to this end of the county. !
The Republicans and Democrats
Of the northern end of the county,
The speaker affirmed, are united in
their opposition to the proposed
measure, and if the attempt were I
madeto carry it out to-day, any Butte :
man, behe Democrat or Republican, J
Uho sh0uld hereafter show MS head Z
16ove water as an aspiranh for office, I
be swept away." l
This ought to dispose of the claim l
hat Judge Knowles is either wise, !
impartial. far-seeeing, states
nanlike or consistent. 1t ought to =
'eat him ESQ votes in Silver Bow. L
|
While Judge Knowles did all he t
ould against the organization of Sill =
Bow county, the Hon. J. X. +
'oOle did all he could for it. Mr., I
'oole saw the growing importance of q
Suite. He recognized the great dis l.
under which her business n
zen labored IN being compelled to
ransact their county business at Deer
He comprehended the justice I l.
f a division and the organization of h
liver Bow county. He was states .,
Ian enough to realize that the pros .,
of this end of the county would ~
Q enhanced by its being set off from CT
'eer Lodge county. He was impartial a.
nough to concede the right of our
eople to a separate county organiza-
on. And as President of the Legis
Council which passed upon the =,