The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-23
At THE HENDRICKS CLUB.
The Helena Democracy Hold the
Initial Meeting Of the Com
ing Campaign.
The Occasion Made q Fitting Time
to Reour to Washington's
Days.
tions of the Hour by I. j..
Walsh. .

ttons of tho Hour by T. j.
Walsh.
The new quarters of the Hendricks Dem.
ocratic club. in the Thompson block, wer
we'll filled last night with Representative
members of the party from all parts OF the
city. In the absence of President Il. r
Smith Mr.. w. j. Fuchs called upon Gen. c
Il. Nolan to preside. The general said h'
was pleased to notice that the democrats oil
Helena were alive to the necessitics of tn,
hour and the Importance of the approach.
ing campaign. Unquestionablv there wa.
a demand for q change of administratio
in municipal affairs. For the frat Tins
Montana ia to be called upon to express he,
preference in n presidential campaign, ant
there is an urgent necessity for organiza.
ton upon the part of the democratic party.
The speech of the evening was made BY At
sorney I. }. Walsh. In part he said:
This occasion which calls as together to-
night is peculiarly one which suggests the
infant days of the republic when, wo are
prone to believe. as was probably the case,
men in public life were less selfish and
more patriotic, less attached to policy and
more to principle, guided less in their
speech as we'll as in their conduct in public
affairs by the apparent immediate necessi-
ties of the hour and more by their deduc-
ton from what they conceived to be essen
tial fundamental principles of human gov
ernment. It is to this fact that tbs history
of those times and the lives of the men
who made it possess an interest which, to
tho student of governmental policy, never
abates. To this history he goes as to a
clear fountain in the hills, and from it i'm
bibes the pure elements of sound govern
ment, lest drinking at the lower courses of
the stream Of the nations lie his views
should be poisoned by its corrupted current.
1t was doubtless soms consideration such
as this which induced tho club to meet at
this particular time. We ars about to enter
into the midst Of the fever and commotion
of ono of our great quadrennial political
contests. The sovereignty of the people is
about again to assert itself. II is peculiarly
fitting that at this juncture We should re-
eur to the times OF him whose memory We
celebrate to-day to study the teachings of
the great philosophers of popular rule, his
compeers, and learn anew the lessons of
correct government and good citizenship.
Time has dealt severely with the military
genius of Washington and the later student
of history finds no great exceptional saori-
fees or achievements in the war of the
feVOiu0lOn. Duv IL III new, says a oElblCAi
writer, 'in the history of socisty to see a
great people turn . calm and scfutinizing
eye upon itself when appraised by the le2ls-
lature that the wheels of government are
stopped-to SEQ it carefully examine the OK
tent of this evil, and patiently wait two long
years until a remedy ia discovered to which
it voluntarily submitted without it's costing
Il tear or = drop of blood from mankind"
! deem it the chief glory of Washington
that in HIS person and character was typi-
fed the extraordinary capacity for self gov
eminent Of the American people exhibited
in this unique example
In approaching the tariff question, Mr..
Walsh said he was aware that he was
treading on dangerous ground. being re-
minded of the fate of a gentleman who
travelled in Texas. A respected Citizen of
that state was once called to the bar Of
murder. Ths gentleman who occupied To-
cally the official position of Gen. Nolan, the
distinguished chairman, was about to open
the case for the state when the prisoner
arose and offered to tell the whole story.
1.-The deceased" he said. came to my
shelter of my roof until morning. My
heart warmed towar the wayfarer, for the
night was bitterly cold. With true south-
ern hospitality, I took him in. fed him at
my board and then, gathered around my
genial hearth, endeavored to engage him in
ASuc IL tldAkC1 "dB bUllH
and unErateful. He reviled my house hold
goods, treated my wife with disrespect and
myself with eontumely. All this I bore
with patience, for the man WAS my guest.
Finally, however, he began to talk about
the tariff. and then 1 shot him. The jury
acquitted him.
But it is the great political question of
the hour, and will continue to be such
while there is a protective tariff. Nc ques-
ton is ever settled until il is settled Alright.
England isn't troubled with any agitation
of il. 1t had practically ceased to be a de-
bateable matter between '46 and go, and
but for the war would still be sleeping the
quiet sleep Of oblivion. Observe how tho
three groups Of tariff laws came to be
passed. The first were urged for the pro-
lection of infant industries only. The
struggling industries of America could not
compete unaided with the old established
industries of America and continental En-
rope. They must be aided until they may
gain a fooshold. If this reasoning were
sound, of course manufacturers could
never sustain themselves in the west
against the older ONES of the east. But
somehow or ether they did and do oxlst
without its aid,
This Was the argument which supported
the TARIFF that expired in 1916. Then came
tho war ana III Its throes n struggle impend-
ing such as not even Rome witnessed when
her great captains coutcnded for the mas
terry of the world, tho loyal people of the
nation came forward and laid upon them
selves for the preservation Of the Union a
tax equivalent to one-1iftn of their income.
Their sacrifice was not unayaillng. White
winged peace dwelt again III the land and
the Union restored anu the nation's Disgrace
wiped out. For nearly Il quarter of a.
century she continued to reign among a
PROSPEROUS people, but the enormous tax
wfunR by the vital necessities or our hour
OF darkness and Of peril continued with but
nI5rj .,-I G-ak - =.