St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-02
WARM IN MONTANA.
Both Parties Will Try to Or
ganize the Montana State
Legislature.
Democrats Seem to Have
Slightly the Best Of the
Argument.
Hamilton Will Take His Seat
as Choteau County Rep
resentative.
A Kansas Populist Paper Calls
Republicans Thieves and
Traitors.
Special to the Globe.

HELENA, Mont, Jan. 1.-Tomorrow
the Montana legislature will convene,
but there is nothing definite as to who
will control the organization of the
house. In the senate the Democrats
have a majority of two. The house, as
the returns up to today stand. has q
Democrats. 25 Republicans and 8 Popu-
lists. In the q Democrats Is i'll
cluded Hamilton, the Choteau men,
Der. who got his certificate owing to
the fact that the canvassing board
threw out the vote of Box Elder pre-
cinct. The supreme court has issued a
peremptory writ of mandate ordering
the canvassers to count the Box Elder
precinct and the board is in session in
Fort Benton, but has taken no action.
This is due to the fact that the judges
at Box Elder have never made COM
pete return. A messenger has been
sent after
The Missing Books
and documents. 1t will be Tuesday at
least before they can complete the
count Hamilton has been put OH the
list of members of the house by the
state auditor, who will call that body to
order. and the Republicans acknowl-
edge that Hamilton will help organize
the house tomorrow. They claim, how
ever, that the Populists win vote
with them and thus give them
one majority. The Democrats have
one member seriously Ill, but.
if he cannot get pair, he will be car
ried into the house. The Democrats
claim two of the Populists Will surely
vote with them on the organization and
on all political questions save that of
senator. The Populists themselves say
they are not unit as to their action.
They feel that tie best policy for them
to pursue to secure favorable action on
any legislation they may desire is to
stand in with the Democrats. Ii they
oppose the Democrats in the house,
when their bills get before the senate
the Democratic majority, under such
circumstances, may not favor them,
while if they work
With the Democrats
in the house on political questions they
will be assured Democratic support in
the senate OIL any measures they may
propose. They have concluded they
cannot elect Mulville as senator, and if
they can accomplish something in the
way of legislation they feel it will be of
great consequence to the rank and file
of their party. If they stand in with
the Republicans in the organization of
the house and in the senatorial con-
test it will not profit their party
one iota, but if they can secure the sup
port of the Democrats, their influence
will extend all through the session in
stead of ending with the senatorial
election. This is the point the Populist
members are considering, as we'll as the
Populist party generally, and they recog
nize fully the critical sltua-
ton in which they are placed
There is little doubt that under
the circumstances, they Will join with
the Democrats in organizing the house.
AS to their position in the senatorial
contest, strong pressure Is being brought
to bear to have them stand united for
Mulville, who was Endorsed by the Pop
ulist state convention for United States
senator. To this they seem
willing to Accede,
though they have not formally an
nounced that they would. The Demo-
Gratis have established general head
quarters and have a committee of two,
who will see that every Democrat is in
his place tomorrow, and who are eX-
pected to checkmatc every illegal move
of the opposition. The Democrats only
fear that unduly strong party
pressure may be brought on
the state auditor and cause
him to leave Hamilton off the roll call.
In case the Republicans secure the or
ganization of the house by any but fair
means, the Democrats will form sep
arate house. The senatorial aspirants
are all here, and very active. w. A.
Clark has established headquarters at
the Helena, with II. l.. Frank in charge.
Talking of the prospects of his chief,
Mr.. Frank said that Mr.. Clark was one
of the
Strong Candidates,
that he had no doubt that the Demo-
Gratis would organize the house and
have a majority on joint ballot. He
added that Mr.. Clark was in to win
and would keep his headquarters open
until the contest was decided. Ex-Gov. |
Hauser has no headquarters, but his |
friends are conducting very active |
campaign in his behalf. They say he |
will go in to the caucus with as |
many votes as any other candidate, and |
that in any event Montana will send |
Democrat to the senate. j. r. TOOle, |
of Anaconda, is representing Hon. w. |
w. Dixon'S interests. TOole says his |
friends are working actively in his be-
half. Dixon will not establish formal |
headquarters. Toole believes that the |
first thing to do is for the Democrats to |
secure control of the house. leaving the
Senatorial Contest
in the background until that is decided. |
w. f. Sanders is the only Republican
aspirant in Helena VINO is openly out |
for the Republican nomination. He was |
the most active Republican in |
town today. He was buttonhol-
Ing Republican members all day |
and was the leading spirit at |
the Republican caucus, and to him has |
been committed the labor of securing |
control of the house, with the promise |
of the support of the caucus, whether |
he is successful or other wise. The Re- |
publicanS at caucus tonight. on the |
advice of Sanders, decided to get writ |
of mandate from the supreme court to- |
morrow morning directed to the state |
auditor, ordering him TO place the name |
of Leech, Republican, on the roll of the |
house in place of Hamilton, Democrat. |