The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-01
The Letter Undoubtedly Came from the
Republican State Colnmittee--A
Contemplate Artiflce.
The following circular letter appeared in
the editorial columns of the Helena journal
yesterday with the comments printed be-

The FACTS are these.
Mr. Dixon was born in America. of Anne
lean parents and God family. and has til
education and culture Of a gentleman. an
has always maintained reserve toward
those below him in social station. He ha
always heartily co-operated in all endeavor
to exclude foreigners from public Office ex
cept when 1t was unavoidable.
On the other hand Carter is foreigner
descended from the laboring classes ant
has neither the education or culture of Mr.
Mr.. Dixon il to be preferred to Tom Car
ter.
Now, which will you support and vot,
for. Last year you had no choice as be
tween Maginnis and Carter. This veal
there is q choice.
Please give US your earnest support in
these closing days Of campaign, and elect
Mr.. Dixon as we did Gov. Icole last year,
because he WAS all American.
The contest will be close. and we need
only a few of the independent votes, as Mr..
Dixon will get the solid vote of his party,
as his American inclinations are not gener-
ally known.
Please show this in confidence to a few
with whom you have influence.
Yours Very Truly,
Sons OF AMERICA"
The letter bears thu name of the young
man to whom it was sent, and we hope that
every republican in the state who has re-
oeived q similar billet will inform US Of the
fact. II these are the true sentiments of
the Sons of America" the sooner the peo-
pie OF Montana know it the better.
"Sons of America"
We present in another column letter re-
ceived yesterday from Butte by a highly re-
spected young voter of this towE It bears
the signature "Sons of America and
strongly advises the young voter to support
Mr.. Dixon because he does not belong to
the working classes" We submit that
this is scarcely an American sentiment, and
that the whole letter sounds more like the
utteranee OF British aristocrat than q
member of an American patriotic order.
We have our doubts about the genuineness
OF this letter and also thatit is authorized
BY the order whose name 10 used upon it,
1t may be the work of some crank within
the order, or it may be purely and simply a
campaign dodge OF the Bourbon bosses.
It certainly behooves the "Order of Pa
triotio Sons of America" to solve this prob
lem at once, az such an utterance as this
would forver brand them as a parcel of
anti-Ameiioan prigs, and stamp their order
as the rankest and most biRoted kind of
partisan ooterie.
The letter bears the number "913, !" written
in lead pencil ON the margin. which would
seem to indicate that large number of
persons have received similar epistle.
wherever this letter comes from it indi-
Gates the methods that are being employed
in the vain hope of hoistlng Mr. Dixon upon
the people. But an appeal to the people of
Montana, who are nearly all workers, to
deny their support to Tom Carter because
he is a laboring man is 80 absurd that It
cannot fail to recoil upon its ridiculous
and moon struck authors.
"A foreigner descended from the laborinQ
classes, " is the term used against the re-
publican candidate. Do not these signif-
cant words indicate to the Iaborinp men Of
this state the kind Of influence that are at
date?
The Herald last evening printed tho let
ter and commented on it in this fashion:
Desperate Democrats.
The circular letter elsewhere printed. mr.
porting to emanate from the Sons of Amer.
lea, We are disposed to discredit as having
any such paternity. This patriotic order la.
We are assured, q strictly non- political or
ganization and the Herald ia pretty sure
that the letter has not the sanction Of the
ing. Numbers Of the best citizens in Hell
ena belong to this order. which in all essen
tfal respects il not unlike the Grand Army,
and several of the local members with whom
we have talked to-day. disclaim. disown and
taboo It: II is possible some over-zealous
AUAAosAO ASASAAvAAOA WAbn lUo IHVflOG1O Sons
may be responsible for the letter, but We
are decidedly more inclined to believe the
screed was devised by democrats as q pop
to their failing and desperate cause. The
document 10 detestible in sentiment and the
scheme will be sure to react against the
ve have every reason to think, the letter is
spurious, the Patriotic Sons will be prompt
to brand it as forgery. This much they
owe to themselves and the public Should
they repudiate It. the conclusion is irresis-
tible that the democrats. IN the desperate
straits to which they are put at the tail end
Of losing campaign, are solely responsible
for 1t. --'
The publication of the letter and the edi
torial utterances of the two republican or
RAns aroused storm of indignation among
the members of the order in this city.
Tho members know better than any out
slider what is going on in their order. Po-
httcal discussions in their meetings are not
allowed, nor do they az a body minple in
politics. In this respect they are like hun
dreds OF orders of benevolent and social
character. The contemplate and dishon-
orable object OF the letter became apparent
at once, and the expression of indignation
which came from the lips of the members
were foscible. They all united in denounc-
ing the republican who sought to cloak his
despicable trick under the name of an hon
orable organization. There 10 strong rea-
son to believe that the document was
hatched under the direction of the republic
can state committee, and it has already re-
coiled and gone TO roost in the arms OF its
conceivers. That precinct stealer and ex-
murderer is said to be the tool who carried
the letters to Butte and from there mailed
them to members of the order here. Among
those who were seen yesterday are the fol-
lowing, with their expressions ON the sub
ject:
John W. Thompson-I do not stand in
with any such propositions. The letters do
not come from the order. It ID the work of
some over jealous parties Who are using
the name of the order to hide their idepti-
~. have seen sseeral Of the letters. They
are evidently written by female hand.
Our county committee does mot know where
they originated, and / understand that the
republican state committee disolaim any
connection with them. The letter. ans
dated from Butte. but do not think that
they ever came from there. / think thew
we're gotten mp hare. I am member of the
Patriotic Order of the Sons of America. and
I know that the letters were not authorized
by tho order.
Dr.. J. B. Atchison-Che order had moth.
ing - do with getting up the letters. am
@ember OF the order and know what I am
taudAg about u i nothing more or leee