Great Falls tribune., 1889-12-04
COMPROMISE.

The Pioneer Press which at times
rises above party advocates compromise
on the Legislative question. 1t describes
the situation as follows:
The recent election for state officers
and members Of the legislature passed off
without conflict except as to the county OF
Silver Bow. This is the county in which
are situated the great Anaconda mining
works, and there it is claimed that the
democratic managers had voted laLge
numbers Of foreigners who had not been
natvralized. By reason Of this fraudulent
vote, cast solidly for the democratic ticket,
the county canvassing hoard threw out
the votes from the disputed precinct, and
valid vote. The territorial canyassing
board took the returns as furnished them,
canvassed the whole state, and made its
return, showing majority of republicans
elected to the lower house. Meantime
the democrats carried the matter to the
courts, claiming that the board Of Silver
Bow county had no warrant for Its action
in rejecting the disputed vote. This was
sustained by Judge DeWolfe, who
ordered the vote counted rs cast. When
this was done, however, the territorial
board hau already completed its work and
adjourned. 1t had issued certificates to
the republican candidates from Silver
Bow. Then the clerk Of that county,
democrat, took it on himself to issue GER
titicates to the democratic candidates, and
these opposing delegations, with their
two sets Of credentials, appeared for ad-
mission.
There are some startling Inaccuracies in
the above statement which is made the
groundwork for the compromise sugges-
ton. The Anaconda works are in Deer
Lodge not in Silver Bow No foreigners
voted who had not declared their inten
ton to become citizens which sufflced at
this election. The registration system
would have rendered that impracticable
but no such fraud was intended. The re-
publican leaders and press have made
charges by the wholesale, but they have
never gone so far as to make the accusa-
tion which the Pioneer Press has evolved
The county canvassing board did not
throw out any vote because it was "fraud-
| ulent. "Two of its members, Jack and Hall
arbitrarily assumed that some formalities
we're lacking and on that ground unjustly
refused to count the votes received at pre-
cinct "a in Silver Bow county which
were nearly all cast by native born citi
zens. They did SO in fagrant disregard
of justice and right. They had no more
right to reject these votes than a police
man would have to force electors away
from polling booth. The conduct Q:
the canvassers was simply an act Of ruf
fianism, intended to insure the election Of
five republican candidates whose votes
would give their party control Of the
legislature. Judge DeWolfe's decision
which declared the conduct of Jack anC
Hall, wrong and illegal was made before
the state canvassers pretended to canvass
the state votes, leaving no pretext fol
that partisan board to rob the electors Of
precinct "a of their votes.
ItInay beseen that the Pioneer Press ad-
vises compromise on erroneous lnforma-
ton. It is astray as to facts which each
side admits. Its recommendation to
NlNiAC tAC uACAClOAo AooCe
weight and counts for nothing.
Compromise is lmpracticable. Control
Of the legislature is involved as we'll as
the senatorshlps. Montana suffers and
must continue TO suffer serious injury
from the dead lock. But that injury is
light compared with the degradation
which every fair-mlnded person would
feel at the triumph of fraud. To see
Bray, Dolman, Monteath, Roberts and
Thompson electing United States sena-
tors and making laws for Montana would
be a revolving spectacle. 1t would be
the triumph of fraud. 1t would proclaim
that Montana is to be governed by trick.
cry and deception. Worse still, it would
announce that the people of Montana
lacked the fortitude to grapple with 8
detestable conspiracy and purchased ease
at the expense Of honor. - -.