The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-08-03
Quigg on Montana Politics.
Some Canstic "reminiscences Of Dem.
Ocratic Supremacy in Montana.
The BaSelcSs Fabric OF Their Hopes
to Elevate Free Trade.
Their Name is Dennis and Theil
Cake is Dough.

Mr.. Quigg's thirtieth Tribune letter is
apretty carefully prepared glimpse atthc
early phase of democracy in NIontana--a
genuine southern confederacy redivivus
and his facts have come from such sub
stantial sources that we deem it worthy Of
reproduction in our columns:
HELENA, Montana, Correspondence OF the
New York Tribune, July 1G, 1Se9.-Snce
the recent election at which members Cf
the constitutional convention were chosen, the
democrats In Montana as we'll as out, have been
pleased to do Il deal Of boastful talking. They
assure themselves that Montana will organize as
a democratic state, will elect a democratic COVER
nor and congressman, aud a democratic legisla
ture which will send two democratic senators to
Washington. After carefully studying the politi-
cal situation here, historically as we'll rs with re-
latiOn to the temper of the people upon the cur
rent topics. l do not believe they will do any
one Of these things Nothing that has occurred
since the election of 1888 has proved that the
democrats have any more votes than they had
then, when their candidate for congress was buried
under Il majority Of more than 5000. 1t is true
that Montana heretofore had always been a
democratic territory, aud for twenty-five years had
ton. Its first settlers were mostly democrats
Flocks of them from Missouri came up the river
with every Fort Benton boat as the war was clos
ing. and won for thenscl yes in the very first con-
gressional contest that occurred after the terri
| tory was organized Il description which has chung
| to them ever since. Colonel Wilbur r. Sanders
was leading the republican fororn hope, and he
created much amusement by protesting on the
stump against the invasion of Montana "by the
left wing of Prices arlny.' The democratic party
Is still known as prices left wing and, seeing
that many of its members were actually engaged
in the rebel army. 1t is surprising ho" thcy chafe
Under that allegation and beg to know it the
bloody shirt is ever to be waved Treason played
a large partin the early politics Of Montana. The
Stars and Stripes, long after the war was ended,
were hooted ut the democratic n;tss-meetngS and
traied In the dust at their parades. The miners
in Alder Gu!ch actually voted to call their newset-
tement Varna i'll honor Of the wife of the rebel
president, and Varna IL would have been but that
the only notary III the camp was republican, He
declined utterly to write it Varlna, and 1T last Vir
ginia Clty was accepted as IL compromise Nhe
the n,,lrderous demon Ives was captured at Ntva
,la City and summoned before the whole town tt
answer the charges of murder and robbery, tile
most important feature of his defence was the
CndTEt tllul COlOllel SuilueIS Whn MIN itLi4 "a
prosecutor, had served in the Yankee army. This
was .adroity urged by Ives friends moving arou1lt
among the the crowd, in complete justification o.
his crimes
From the earliest days Of MOntan;l'S settlement
until 1883, migration into the territory came from
Il sOutherly direction. The Missouri river fur
niShed the only means Of entry for many years
and when Il second was finally obtained it was
railroad from Utah and the Union Pacific country
Not until the completion OF the Northern Pacific
line was the population OF Montana increased b.
any considerable number 0; people in sympath.
with republican IDEAS. After that event, Il new
impulse was lent to everything settlers came ii
from the eastern states and from the great re
: publican cOnmolweatlls Of Wisconsin, Mime
. sofa ana Michigan. The valleys were filled III
with an agricultural population. The cities an,
mining camps doubled and rpdoubled in size am
ut one Swoop the democratic party cut down
The democratic leaders had forescen this fat;t
, blow. In 1884 when their candidate shove,
himself able to muster only Il majority OF 100, the
had a warning OF what was to come. In the mex
campaign they made Il brilliant stroke ana sue
ceeded In postponing their fate. They made
g labor cry against the republican candidate. IL
{ was one OF the counsel OF the Northern Pacific
which. however, as corporation, eXerted villa
ever strength it did exert aseinst him. That ciJ
l cunlstance did not in the least affect the demo
: cratic plans OF an 'anti-corpOrAtion" campaign
The democrats were quite willing to profit by tn
Northern Pacific's fayer and, at tie same time t
train their mock guns on capitalists. They shoe
It their fists at Mr.. Dukes, at Henry Willard, ;
Charles Francis Adams and at everybody els
supposed to represent corporate strength. The
made love 10 the Knights Of Labor, and the
elected their man by something like I'LL cld-tim
: majority.
n Their happiness endured but for IL season. I'll
u republican leaders concluded that II the dem
= Gratis wanted a labor issue they should have 1t
dead earnest. Events at washington proceede
most fortunately for the republican plan. II
effect OF the proposed Mills bill upon MOntai
products, wool and lead, the course of the 81
- mnistration with regard to local affairs. the pu
lie domain and the timber laws. together with tt
wise and liberal policy Of the national republic;
'r leaders, Ill! Confined 10 give the Montana dem
a Gratis all the labor issues they wanted. TIL
chose for their candidate the successful charm;
!, OF their last campaign committee, W. 4. Clark
" of Butte justly esteemed their strongest and mo
l. available man. Mr. Clarke was an ''oldtimer
N Il phrase of much Significance here.
r. The '.old-timers are those who came mere b
i, fore 1865, who organized the Territory and la
- consistently abided with II since They have
10 social organization OF their own, and one OF
functions is to protect the ''old-timt:s' from t
le .'Djlgrms' and the tcnderieet. Mr.. CLARKE HI
- come to Montana IL day lab0rcr and had dug N
lions from the mountains He had educated hi
ol self From an illitel;te miner, he had become
le cultivated millionaire, speaking the modern Id
n oumucs and reading the ancient ones. i4e VA:
r. great employer Of labor and in putting him fl
" ward the democrats lid their best The repul
50 can candidate, Thomas H. Carter was il lawy
d He had meyer been In politics. Ills residence
the territory had endured only eight years, and
or thousands of voters lie was Il stranger. But
the beginning he made a powerful impression
the people lie refused to talk anything but pr