Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1890-02-12

ing. Senator Powers ielerrspic in
fornaot # sunday, might have spoken
from bearsay, but Senator Bsbcock
does not. The pledge was made to
him personally, and Mr.. Bahcock is
gentleman who iull, understands the
weight and value Of such pledge and
from that time forward would un-
doub'edly have stsked his existence
on Mr.. Becke;'s keepingi
IL was said here yesterday, and very
DeItineDtlv too, Of what value was the
sword OF honor of man who for the
past eighty days has persis'entIy and
with diuraal regularity broken his
most solemn oath. We are free 10 ad.
NIT, however, that the obligations Of
the oath of office might. under the
spacious arguments Of the democratic
bosses, be made to rest rather lightly
on the senatorial conscience. The
oath was to discharge the duties OF
office with fidelity. The duties OF
Office might easily be construed as
duties to constituency. A constitu-
ency by similar deduction becomes the
democratic local support received
Duties TO such constituency is simply
allegiance to party rule and party rule
has demanded and directed every
move made by the democratic se nators
In this affair. Thus the conscience,
toJghentd by the sophistries of plsus-
ible leaders could easily he directed to
disregard Of the oath Of office that
fell just within the saving limits of
the law. But mans word of honor
is a different thing. In all branches
Of In. federal service, "a certificate on
honor" il accepted 10 the most weighfy
affairs. presumably out Of courtesy, but
really because TO most men II has vast
ly more significance than an oath. AS
an evidence of this, IL is again stated
that Mr.. Becker's friends in this conf
munity, who have looked without
emotion or regret ct his daily disre-
gard, II not violation of his official
oath, are now up in arms and without
claiming TO know one circumstance in
support of their assertion, save the
character of the man, boldly and def
antly assert that Mr.. Becker never
pledged his word Of honor to he pres
ent at the senate session or Monaay
morning. Ifbe did, and broke IL, he
10 equal to the denial oft, so the truth
may never be known from him, but
there are three other and competent
witnesses, the three senators who sat
on his case In committee. and to
whom II to anyone this pledge was
made. 1t Is q singular and therefore
noticeable fact in connection with Mr..
Becker's flight TO Idaho, that the In
dependent Of Monday apparently
knows nothing of this important piece
of news that occurred on Monday
evening between 10 and IL o'clock, al
though every article anent the Becker
imbroglio brlst,es with obscure inu-
endo of something that is going to
happen. surely the Independent, 10.
suing the only Monday morning pa
per at Helena, did not Intentionally
miss this SCOOP" or was IL fearful
that II the escape wss put In type,
come lesky compositor might give the
thing away and enable the republi-
cans to work the wires - successfully
as they did In the case Of Mr.. Becker's
eastern trip. The Independent must
either confess that its Monday issue lie
Q fraud, or that IL knew OF Becker's
I flight and purposely suppressed It..
Blu. this is simply q side issue. The
day is long pact since the Independent
was factor In the political or material
issues of Montana. The all absorbing
question is, was Mr.. Becker's honor
pledged, and " II was, the discussion
IL naturally directed to the quality Of
that bonor.
It is known. when on Friday night
last, Mr.. Becker arrived In Miles City
| In custody Of Sheriff Gleason Of Daw-
son county. that the fullest liberty
was allowed him, and that, seeing
this. certain ambitious democrats sp-
preached him and offered him sure
and speedy means Of getting out Of
the state before pursuit could overtake
him, which offer be declined with
thanks, explaining that he had given
Sheriff Gleason his word to be present
st court next morning and that he iu-
tended TO keep II. 1t ID also stated
that on the next day. sfter his arrest
hv Sheriff Parker, and while waiting
-, the train, similar offer was made
him which be also declined. giving -
. r,s.ou that be was entirely satis6sd
v,.h the suisicisncy Of the warran: On
vhIch he was held and was going to
H.leps no take his medicine" His
r.nor.ed action at Helena was also In
.ccord With what hes been related Of
him hare. These things incline one
,.s st.t Ne pecksr a ma