The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-08
IT WOULD BE AN OUTRAGE.

OHlclal influence Ielt III DeHdlI OF u
murderer who is serving a life sentence
in Deer Lodge prison. Rowand is the
man. 1t happens that he has wealthy
and influential relatives i'm Canada.
The STANDARDS special Washington
dispatch of yesterday morning tells
how these people reached Sir John
Macdonald, how the premier reached
maiesty's minister enlisted Mr.. Blaine.
And now we have 1t that Mr.. Blaine
has written to the Montana board of
pardons asking that Rowand be par
doned las an act of International cOur-
tesy''; and he does this to please the
British minister!
The details of the murder for which
Rowand ought promptly to have been
hanged need not be recited. For years
he was notorious for the braggart air
with which, when he was under the in
fiuence of liquor, he proclaimed his
willingness to turn a deadly weapon
against the life of any man. lie had
%quarrelled with a b~arkeeper and pro-
posed to kill him. With careless aim
he discharged n revolver, and its mis-
directed bullet took the life of an inno-
cent man who never had n word with
the murderer, who was respected by
everyone who knew him, a man of in
dustrious habits and of exemplary life,
whose devoted wife and two little chill
dren left the city of Butte, TO carry
with them to a distant home the inef-
faceable memory of an awful crime.
Set this man free because he happens
to have relatives who "a reach the a
of cabinets and command the helpful
word of ministers? II would be an
outrage! This community is quite too
gentle with men who estimate the
value of life SO lightly that they boast
their readiness to he the authors of
causeless murder. IL seems to us that,
under all the circumstances, the mis-
take that cost the life of young Busierre
makes the crime all the more heinous.
We sincerely hope that the members of
the board of pardOns will refuse to heed
the request of Secretary Blaine and
that they will make their refusal con
spicuous with its evidences of marked
displeasure ut this unwarrantable in
reference with the course of justice in
the state.
The secretary's graceless reques;
comes at an awkward moment for those
whom IL chiefly concerns. Ten days
ago, federal authority interfered to
check the execution of merited punish
ment OF the convicted Kemmler. That
was an impudent piece of meddling
which has been roundly and d~eservedly
condemned by scores and hundreds of
newspapers and by tens of thousands
of American citizens. Akin to that
objectionable attempt of federal au-
thority TO interfere with the wholesome
administration of justice is this later
application of titled influence i'm a man.
ner that is deeply offensive TO the PEG.
pie.
Pardon an unhung brute in order
that Mr.. Blaine's international courtesy
may be applied TO please Sir John Nc
Donald, indeed.
So far as this community is con-
cerned, We tell the state board that, If
il does this thing, il will be held i'm con.
tempt by every decent man among us.
4 group of republican senators, ten
of them all told, intend to stand out
against the proposed silver compromise
bill on the ground that they demand
full recognition of the metal I'm its
function as money. That is where the
West has been exhorting these men to
stand. Meanwhile the ten senators are
taking it hard from the eastern repub-
lican press which, while il is resolved
to dodge the real issue, yet tries TO get
political capital out of a pretended
concession TO the West. These eastern
newspapers, we are prepared to admit,
actually believe that the slightest con.
cession to silver is fraught with dan
ger. On conviction they would not
yield an inch. Prompted by policy.
they propose to yield a little and make
IL appear like a great deal. They have
been dinging away'at congress lest, by
any chance. il should do too much. OF
course, the feeling that controls the re-
publican press and which has influence
with the administration is utterly at
variance with the sentiment and con-
viction of the West. and the policy of
the administration In the matter is al
together different from all that the
West had a right TO anticipates: yet
thus the matter stands. And now the
eastern press is diligently serving
notice that IL is going TO be the pend
ing compromise or nothing. II is an
adroit attempt TO shift responsibility.
The 81. Paul republicans ough, TO