Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-09-21

"Custsr's big Four"

The republican county convention
was held on the l9lh day Of August.
Ga the 2olh day Of September, just
one month ana Que day after the event,
the Courier uu1trtoke- IN review and
crticise its work, aud in the same
article 10 question the campaign poll
icy Of the JoURSAL, particularly in H.
utteIauces regarding opposition can
didatrs, which, 1t implies, have been
''unsird and untruthful." Before
entering into consideration of this
charge, The editor o. the JOURNAL
wishes TO defae hsp,sitiou. To begin
with he is republican from way
backr aud until better party arises
will never be anything else. His con-
victions are so strong IN this regard
that he e-teems it righteous duty to
do his level best TO defeat democrat,
even though that democrat may be
MS uthltrN ltAtHhs NICuiuNtduC'r
have placed him in position 10 reach
the public IN each campaign through
the columns Of newspaper, and what
ever he would say with his mouth as Il
private citizen, he has said and will
say with his pen as an editor, and no
more. With these convictions ii is
possible that he has said some sun
kind" things regarding democrats
who are candidates for Office, but we
challen se the Courier to quote one
"untruthful" statement that he has
made concerning any democratic can-
didate in this or any preceding cam
paign. 1t falls to the lot of an editor
who does his duty during a campaign
TO say things about candidates on the
other side, that he would often rather
leave unsaid, and more particularly il
this true In small community like
our own, where all gre friends and
neighbors; hui If politics were to be
conducted on this principle, We would
be everlastingly ridden by a ring of
"p0i ular" Office holders. who as good
fellowsn would maintain an unrelent-
ing grip upon the friendship of the
people and elections would be farce.
No man who cares n straw for party
wonld willingly succomb To snch a
state of affairs. and therefore party
feeling demands that the acts and
character Of officials and candi-
dates for Office be publicly scrutinized,
and this much at least is expected Of a
newspaper that pretends to have a
political character. In the conduct ol
campaigns in this county the editor of
the JOURNAL has never lied about,
villified or DETAINED any person. and
never will.
Recurring to the consideration OF
tha acts Of the republican convention
(after month and day. the Courier
charges that II was manipulated by a
coterie, which IL is pleased to term the
Big Four, consisting Of Capt. Harmon,
J. B. Collins, DIR. c. :. Whitney and
S. Gordon. The persons named are
probably not without the usual modi.
cum Of self esteem, but we question IL
either OF them, individual y or all collec
lively, have ever arogated to themselves
the power 10 control the action of six
ty intelligent men who sat in the re-
publican convention Of last month.
The nominations made were by the
voice Of the people and we believe the
voice OF the people will ratifv them on
election day. But isn't IL trifie dam
gerous for the Courier to charge job
berry and completely in the republican
convention, with the record Of the
democratic convention still so fresh In
the minds of the people. What more
absolute instance Of "bossism" was
ever exhibited than the machine nom.
nations of boss ridden body. IL was
not quartette that ruled this roost,
but one maa who crushed with a pow
er wrongfully exerted, every oandi-
date who was not subservient TO his
will, while the presiding officer, either
through Ignorance. or under the bond
OF vasseIage, made rulings that would
have been hooted at n boys' debating
club. The Big Four will not hesitate
10 compare their record In convention
with that Of the Big One, and while
there may be- carping republicans who
think that the private details Of .
campaign should be made the public
property OF The party, and ill-natured-
ly question the exercise Of authority
they have themselves bestowed, we
are pleased to sAy that there are none
who feel 90 outraged and betrayed ~
10 tun In tooth and toenail 10 defeat