The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-12
AN UNSOUELCHED DEMAGOGUE.

AN UNsOUELCHED DEMAGOGUE.
The Louisville convention offered an
other opportunity to that noisy and
senseless demagogue, James S. Clark
son, and he seems to have made such
use of it as the country would expect.
This peculiar Clarl1sonian gift, which
has ostracized the author from associa-
ton with such leaders as Harrison, De-
pow and Mckinley, was brought out in
a speech criticising the present admin
istration, which, he claimed, is respon-
sible for bad business and financial con-
ditions. This, he said, was due to the
secretary Of the treasury who had
frightened the business world and cre-
ated uneasiness and fear where safety
and prosperity had ruled before.
So long as Nj. Clarkson occupies the
position accorded him by those republi-
cans who believe in honest methods, his
opinions will attract no serious atten-
ton. 1t happens, however, that he &C.
cupies the presidency of an organiza-
ton presumably devoted to lettering
the conditions Of government and in this
position mis- demagogic statements de-
mand brief comment. This comes in
good form from the st. Louis Globe.
Democrat, the great leader in republi-
can journalism of the west and entitled
to a hearing at all times. That contem-
porary found occasion some time ago to
refer to statements from Whitelaw Reid
similar in character to this ebullition
from Clarkson. It said:
1t is silly because every PERSON inter-
ested in the financial question remembers
that the dead OF an early depletion in the
treasury reserve was felt twelve months
ago. and Secretary Foster soon after began
to resort to various devices hitherto IN
heard of, because unnecessary, to keep the
gold fund from being reduced to the con-
ventional danger line. The situation
seemed to be steadily growing worse. Once
or twice befose the election took place. and,
Of course. while the result of the canvass
was in doubt, n finanoial crisis seemed to
DO close at hand. No improvement came
after tho election, and n could have
come whichever party had won. Many
times during the winter, while tho old I'D
ministration had still several weeks of
power before 1t, the treasury's free gold
was so low that demands were heard from
certain quarters for a sale of bonds to re-
plenish the gold fund, and the country for
a few days feared that this would be re-
sorted to.
The new administration was met
with these conditions, or in other words,
was left to solve a financial problem left
over by President Harrison and Secre-
tary Foster, and which certainly would
have proved as troublesome in their
hands had the administration been left
unchanged. The situation arose
through unavoidable conditions and
has been handled as we'll as was posi-
bic. Considering therefore that the
situation was practically the same in
the latter part of tho last administra-
ton and that no better success was
reached, such utterances as those in
dulged in by Clarkson and a few repub-
lican newspapers would seem to afford
evidence OF mental arrangement as we'll
as dishonesty. The Globe Democrat
pays its respects to these people in
these words:
Moreover, no reasonable being believes
that, since President Cleveland's in
auguration, a single dollar of gold
has gone out of the treasury moro
than would have gons if Gen. Harrison had
ro,npipoI in pfina fop nr0fhar tom, All
these accusations and %inuendoes ovorstep
the bounds of legitimate politics. They are
the methods of the pirate and not OF tho
honest partisan. They help no man and
no cause, while they. to tho extent Of the
prominence and the influence Of their
authors, tend to excite a feeling Of dietrnst
in the community which might exert an in
furious effect in On emergency like this.
The republican party directly md emphat-
ically diaolairns all responsibility for these
accusations, deplores and condemns tht
the spirit which prompts them. and pledges
itself to sustain tho admininist alton ir
this crisis by all the resources ct its com,
mnnd.
AS m advocate of tho force bill, Mr.
Clarkson frequently inflicted the coun
try with views SO radical as to necessi
tate his withdrawal from active man
agement in the republican campaign.
He was too heavy u load for the party.
Later on his criticism OF Elk President
Harrison aroused storms of deserved re-
Duke from the republican press. He is
present at Louisville as a leader without
n following and participating in his own
wake, SO far as future recognition in his
own party is concerned.