Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-10-20
SMITH N COLLINS.
HI Champions Of Free Trade and Low Wages
Speak in Lewisrown.

On Wednesday night of last week our
citizens were given an opportunity to listen
to Robert b. Smith of Helena, and the
Mr.. Tim Collins, of Great Falls, candidate
for governor on the Democratic ticket.
Mr.. Smith has the reputation of being a
stem winder" among the unterrified in
this state, and although he has some ora
torical powers, was a disappointment or
the whole. He lacks originality and is
repeating an old. set speech which he com
mitted to memory in the campaign of1SS9,
and which had been heard in every county
in the state, except Fergus.
The local Democracy, particularly the
candidates, were gathered on the platform,
and after the band had rendered a selection
Thomas Jefferson Johns, ''bunco steerer'
| and chairman of the Democratic county
committee, introduced Mr.. Smith, who i'm
mediately entered into the task of giving
his party IA reputation, knowing the deep
disgrace it was laboring under in this
county. Mr.. Smiths speech was remark
able for what it did not contain. bespoke
of the prosperous and growing county Of
Fergus in a very complimentary way, but
forgot to state that his party advocated a
policy that would destroy one-half of the
industries of the county. Mr.. Smith then
took up the calamity cry OF wealth accum-
u~lating in the hands OF the few Casting a
glance at Tim as an object lesson), and
referred to the states rights dogma which
was shot full OF holes n quarter of a GEN.
fury ago. He reiterated the poll parrot
cry that 1.-THE tariff is a tax" but could
produce no figures to prove his assertion
this year. He knew that everything but
labor was cheaper in this country than in
any other on the face OF the earth, and
that laboring men had more with which
to purchase. Mr.. Smith reviewd tariff leg
~islation and the history OF the Republican
party, and seemed grieved that the Democ.
racy had been given but one president in
thirty-two years, and with mighty poor
prospects of ever getting another. Mr..
Smith was about to clinch a statement
made and had struck an attitude, when
the ''bunco steerer, I" who was in a drunken
stupor from the previous nights debauch,
knocked a large lamp off the piano to the
floor, to the disgust OF Mr.. Smith. There
are several versions as to how it occurred
SotiS AstAi y VOC VA "a Va t"N NHNN
mans breath superinduced by alcohol
|, while others contend that he was reaching
out to copper an ace, his druken delir
ium rendering him unconscious of his sur
roundin s.
When order was restored Mr.. Smith con
: tinued in much the sam. strain as all othel
\ Democratic orators of to-day. He
4. up the beauties of free wool to his own sat
isfaction perhaps, if to no one else.
Mr.. Collins was introduced to the audi
ence, which exercised a great deal OF pa
e thence in listening to him, as Tim is a dull
{ embarrassing speaker. He gave the Democ
racy credit for everything that has bee
u accomplished in Montana, even to ''placin
= the ore in the mountains" He made
n mean personal allusion to Chief Justic
q Blake, saying "he had no brains, and wa
u too narrow between the eyes for a judge.
This remark made votes for Judge Bla
O and Mr.. Collins opponent, Mr.. Richards
W Mr.. Collins, by his low abuse, placed hin
d self on a level with the .bunco steerer.
whose society he courted during his stay i
u this locality.