St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-20
MONTANA sENAroRsHIPs.

The Democratic members OF the Mon
Dana legislature, which will convene at
Helena next week. will be confronted
BY the gravest situation that ever faced
q legislative body in this country. 1t is
not a mere question of temporary party
advantage, or of the distribution of
few Offices among ambitious politicians;
but it goes deeper than that. and strikes
at the root of free government. In COM
pariSOn with the magnitude of the prln-
ciple at stake, it is of but little cOnse-
ouence whether the Democrats or the
Republicans elect the two senators from
Montana. In either event,the benefits of
the victory would terminate at the end
of six years. But it is a matter of the
utmost Importance, not only 10 the peO-
pie of Montana, but to the entire Amer
lean people. to have it understood that
no amount of political trickery or judi
ciaI Iegerdemain can overthrow an hon
est ballot.
Stripped of all technicalities and re-
lieved of the confusion which the law
yerS and politicians have created. aud
giving an honest statement of the case
on its merits, the Democrats of Montana
are entitled to control the state legisla-
ture. There isn't a fair-minded man in
America bnt is willing to cOncede this
point. There isn't a shadow of doubt
in anybOdy'S mind put that the Dem
Ocratic candidates were elected in Silver
Bow county.
If ours is a popular government, in
which the majority rule, then the at
tempt made by the Republicans to re-
verse the result Of the election in Silver
Bow county is subversive of republican
government, and does violence to the
underlying principle of American insti-
buttons. That is a plain statement of
the situation in Montana.
The Republicans of the new state are
seeking temporary party advantage
at the cost of all honest ballot and at
the sacrifice of principle dearest to
the American heart.
In seeking to reap the benefits of
victory honestly won the Democrats of
Montana are made the champions of
constitutional freedom and the defend
ers of the highest attribute of Ameri-
can citizenship.
The Democratic members of the Mon
tana legislature have but to look at the
positions respectively occupied by them
selves and by their opponents to be
impressed with the gravity of the sItu-
alton and to be nerved for the conflict
before them. 1t is no ordinary political
battle they will be called upon to en-
gage in. 1t is the battle of patriotism,
of loyalty to the spirit and to the form
of constitutional government; struggle
for the supremacy of right over wrong,
of honesty over trickery, of the right of
every American citizen to cast free
ballot and to have bis vote honestly
counted.
Theirs is fight which admits of
neither surrender nor compromise.
Theirs is war waged in defense of a
principle upon which the integrity of
the American Union rests. They can
not afford to surrender or compromise
it, for by that act they would proclaim
that our institutions are failure. and
that the privileges of American citi-
Zenship were not worth contending for
Democrats of Montana. stand by your
guns. Yours is the cause of righteous
ness and the cause of liberty. The
sympathies of the freedOm-loving peO-
pie of this great nation are with you.
Acquit yourselves like heroes i'm your
struggle for honest elections. Your re-
ward will be the salvation of your state
from an everlasting disgrace, and the
gratitude of the entire nation.
If UOuId no hnttnr for MODtaDa IN no
forever unrepresented in the senate
than that her senators should be the
beneficiarieSof fraud.