The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-10-10
A POLITICAL


There is a feeling among republicans
that Montana is a republican state i'm
spite of all that happened at the recent
general election. The returns do not
warrant any claims of this kind,
chiefly for the reason that the "mOre
house" of the legislature, AZ
the statue books put it, is democratic
by a clear majority, and, As h MEM
bership Of this lower house is chosen
by counties, its political majority may
be assumed to represent the political
temper of the state Mt any given time.
1t will be admitted that . vote on
governor il not always an accurate
gauge Of political sentiment in any
state. In New York, Governor Hill
had an enormous majority, yet the leg
islature of IN state remains firmly
republican, as it ha been ever since
Mr.. Hills advent into state office, i'm
1882. The counties of New York are
largely republican. In Montana h
increase of the democratic vote i'm
strong republican counties is h lead
ing cause for disappointment and
chagrin with the party which Mr.. Car
ter led.
The victory scored by the republican
ticket of the territory i'm 1883 misleads
our republican friends. The figures
that mark the surprising majority then
scored for Mr.. Carter are constantly be-
fore their eyes,. They know perfectly
well how il all came about, but they
like to blind themselves to he facts,
because those facts take of the merit
there is i'm the figures, viewing the situ-
alton purely from n political stand
point. The naked fact is that, last
year., the democrats allowed Mr.. Carter
20 walk off unchallenged with h vote
of the territory. There was prestige i'm
h big majority, of mrs and il was
Of account to Mr.. Carter this year, saw
ing the day for him, just as Cleve-
lands fabulous majority i'm 1882 was a
tradition that saved him by b skin of
his teeth in New York two years later.
Tho fact In to be kept in mind that,
prior to last year, the democrats had
been h ascendant party in Montana
for years uncOunted. We are to re-
member also that the party carried
the state when delegates were chosen
for the constitutional convention, less
thar six months ago.
Nevertheless, IL In true that the
political future of Montana In not
easy to forecast. In the canvass Just
closed every democrat was in line. The
party leaders "pulled together" as party
leaders rarely do. The strong desire to
win was shared by the humb,est fol
lower in the party's ranks. The propo-
sitiOn was first of all to redeem demOc-
racy and to that work every man bent
himself with unselfish energy. There
was little negligence, there were no mis-
takes, and, with the exception Of Mis-
sOula county, there were no rebels i'm
the ranks. SO far as the future il con-
cerned, democracy enjoys the immense
advantage of controlling the Legislative
branch of MOntana's new government,
an advantage of great account i'm its
political aspects just at this period i'm
h history of h state.
The future of politics in Montana
will be influenced largely by three con-
siderations: first, the relative degree of
fidelity with which the incoming legis-
lature reflects the popular will in all it's
DEGREES; secondly. the manner in which
h large body of MOntana's new citi-
zens relate themselves to current poll
tics; and third, the spirit in which men
now prominent in party councils ac-
cept the triumphs or defeats that are
sure to fall to the lot of individuals i'm
h distribution of political honors.
RQturns from vpstarday's S.hnrfar alac-