Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-09-28
1t Was a Corker.

very successful meeting came to close.
1t Was a Corker.
The Democrats of Meaderville held {
large aud enthusiastic meeting last night
The audience was addressed by P. j. Gill
gan and Thos. B. O'Brien. T. G. Fitzgerald
the Democratic candidate for state auditor
was announced to speak, but was unavoid
ably detained at Anaconda.
The meeting was opened by the chairman
Thos. A. M. Day, who, in welichosen words,
introduced P. j. Giligan, who said that in
this campaign the issue was an important
one, and he hoped that the intelligent audi
ence OF workipgmen which he saw before
him was alive to the fact that the coming
election was the most important one ever
held in Montana. The Republican party,
he said, true to it's natural tactics, had
been and was carrying on a campaign of
faisitcations, and was endeav oring to
throw dust into the ey g of the pec pie by
false statements. It had attacked the
last administration in various
ways, but could not get over the fact that
1t was the most conservative government
the people OF the United States ever had.
Values had not depressed, but on the con-
trary had been enhanced. The Republican
party was now, as it always had been,
making appeals to the laboring men of the
country, forgetful of the fact that eleven
twelfths OF the working men, tie bone and
sinew of the country, we're Democrats who
had always voted with the Democratic
party and who always would. The speaker
claimed that neither nationality nor relig-
ion had anything 10 do with voting, and
that was what the Republicans were try ing
to do. II each and every man stood by
his guns, the Democracy of Montana had
nothing to fear on the second day of Octo.
Der next. The Republicans have a Power
behind them, but the Democrats have
Ioole, and the speaker supposed that
power was always behind tool. therefore
Toole as the man who would lead tbem
ON to victory on election day. The legisla-
tive ticket was important too, as behind
that lay the power of electing United States
senator's, who would have every thing to
say in the silver question, which was the
most vital one to US all.
The speaker made a powerful plea for the
Democratic state ticket, iDstancing p. g.
the candidate for state auditor,
AS man who was identified with the best
of every class OF people whom he
would respect.
In the convention at Anaconda lately,
which was a laboring mems convention in
every sense of the word, a worthy gentle
nan; Mr.. Sullivan, had declined the nomi-
nation for auditor. One Of his reasons for
declining was that as the laboring men had
/ man in view to be on the ticket, be with
irew for the purpose OF giving Mr.. Fitzger-
lid the place, and he was nominated with
,ut IL dissenting voice. II the workingmen
,f Montana did not support Mr.. Fitzgerald
or state auditor they certainly would not
10 themselves justice as men and working
men. Mr.. Fitzgerald was a man identified
With the interests of labor and he never
hanged.
t. b. o'BRIEN.
Mr.. O'Brien was introduced, and said
hat there was oIe popularity which he
loticed throughout the territory, and that
vas that all the Democratic meetings were
argely attended, and that, too, by work
ngmen who seemed to be interested in
his contest, and were going to judge i'm.
partially and without bias. He was there
10 arraign the Republican party, as was
jhe inherent right OF every American to
riticise great political party or public
nan. He would hit them from the shoul-
Ter. He would divest his mind from all
Jrejudices and ask his hearers whether the
principles Of the Democratic or Republican
PARTIES were the best. He assert and de-
led contradiction to the contrary that |
he policy that actuated the Democratic |
,arty throughout the country, and in |
his territory, was the policy best pro-
noted to advance the interests OF the peo- |
lie. They would soon be called on to |
hoose their rulers. They were the high |
ourt OF public opinion, and from that |
opinion, declared by their franchises at the |
'olls, there was no appeal. Citizenship !
vas the only weapon that placed the work |
ngman on an equality with the Wander
tits and Jay Gould. But the Republicans
through their press and through |
heir public speakers, that they were
he friends of the working classes.
nd that the Democratic party and it's
&C licy were inimical to their interests. He
1ould ascertain the facts and endeavor to
andidly investigate in q fair minded way
7hether the Republican party was, as it
sserted, the friend of the workingman. He
,as a workman himself, not in theory, but
q fact, and whenever it had been his privi-
age to identify himself with the sacred
ause OF labor he had done it to the best
4 his humble ability.
TIE Republican part y was not friend
4 the people because it was a party that
'elieved n class privileges. 1t had deprive'i
he people of the states and territories OF
heir natural heritage by conveying the
ublc lands TO large landed monopolles.
lie would tell his hearers the record of the
republican party on this great question,
nore especially regarding Montana. The
Democratic party had been out OF power
Or almost IL section of quarter OF a cen
ury. At the time Montana was carved
rom Che territory OF Idaho, the Republican
,arty was in power in both houses, and
ad charge of the executive at Washing
on. Yet what did we find?
We found this Republican party giving
" ay gratuitously to sordid and greedy
a territorial domain of over
s, 1000. 600 acres OF the lands which should
% reserved for the people. That 1S,000,-
90 of acres remained to-day unimproved
nd untaxed. II these lands had been re.
erved for the people instead OF conveyed
o a corporation, we would have to-day IN
fontaua 81 population OF 2,oOo,Ooo IN
tead OF 100000. The people were COM
elIed to seek she ter and seek for homes in
ther states. And why? Because owing
o Republican legislation conveying the
eople's public domain to this corr poration,
ot only in Montana, but in other states
nd territories of this union. These were
acts w .:ic,l could be suhetautiated ii the
pectacles of bias were discarded. That
ad been the policy OF the Republican
arty, to convey the peoples domain
o corporations and grind between
he upper and neither millstones the
eople OF our country. That was theponcy
hat had overrun our country with
tramps, as they were sometimes
allied by the tools Of this protectlo iIst
art, that had given the working classes
he three P's-Protection, Pinkerton and
,overty. Four years ago the people rose
10 in revolt and placed in power the Dem
cratic party notwithstanding the admo-
itions OF Republican speakers that the
ountry would 60 to the "demnitlon DOW
gows'; that every rebel soldier would have
pension. Yet notwithstanding all tins
he people of this nation repudiated the
of the Republicans ana
,laced in power the Democratic party.
What did we find was the policy OF the
party on this public land ques-
ion? True to its ancient policy to sustain
nd nrotect the interests OF the masses it
estored to the public domain something
,ver Sc. .OOO, 900 acres Of land, taking 1t
rom those sordid corporations.
To help those who we're wavering in their
nnno-t Of the Democratic ticket, he told