The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-02-19
MONTANA POLITICS.
Worse Even Than North Dakota-A bar-Iehoer
for Attorney General-A Dreadful Story.

Worse Even Than North Dakota-A Bartender
for Attorney General-A Dreadful Story.
Editor Representative:
l have been so deeply interested OF late
in reading the editorial department CT
the Representative together with what
other Populists have written that nave
found no time nor inclination to aod
thereto thought of mine; but notlclns
what is said in your last issue under
Montana Politics. I must respectfully
crave brief space for the purpose o.
supplementing that article with niue
history, the reliability of which is pc
yond question. 1t is indeed fortunate Tor
the country today that the Represent
alive lives to sound the alarm and warn
the people of our land against the dan
gers menacng our liberties. But for
this and kindred papers, the masses
would unconsciously drift into that help
less and forlorn condition from when
no earthly power could rescue them; for
while the two old parties are ostenslbly
pitted against each other, they are IN
reality unit respecting that glass OF
legislation which can have but one re-
sult-the utter degradation of the mill
ions; and while in a majority OF the
states political fraud rules the hour,
Montana is found to be no exception,
and so long as such moral paupers as
they have there are horored with the
leading official positions, to the utter eX-
clusion of intellect and moral worth, SO
long will the present deplorable state OF
things curse that state.
Montanas attorney general is burn
ing shame and disgrace; and your ques-
ton after pointing out the crime OF u.s.
ing the Northern Pacific's money to de-
bauch the voters of Montana, Where
was the attorney general?'' revlves
| burning "reminiscences. Now, Mr.. Edi-
| tor, l want the people of Montana to
know just what sort of a character they
| have in that important office. | know
| him thoroughly and to aid my POpulist
| friends in getting rid OF the Internal
party to which he belongs, l write this;
and in diagnosing this case | find myself
above those considerations of petty
vindictive nature, being actuated solely
as | have been since the debut OF the
Green back party, for the general good.
Montana has in the person of Gov.
Richards, gentleman, a scholar, an
Upright, honorable citizen, as | know
from personal acquaintance; but his
attorney general is a moral and intel
lectual pauper, Gin proof of which let
| facts be submitted to candid world
| He tramped his way west quite early,
anchored at Glendive where my first ac-
ouaintance found him tending bar for a
woman who was running the Mer-
chants Hotel, as boarding house, and
performing other mental services; in
short, a factotum at that place; but.
mind you neither at this time nor much
later did he make the least pretentions
to the law; and l seriously doubt
whether his most intimate friends had
the faintest idea that he had ever even
seen a law book. But after the three
lawyers left, then by aid of the Montana
statutes he began to pettifog before the
justice of the peace, and his signal fail
ure was a prolific theme when any
deigned to give him the consequence OF
a notice. Continuing to study and petit
fog he was finally admitted to practice
in the district court, and being marve
of monumental cheek, lie made the ca
naille think he had brains; so some one
presented his name for the Office OF at
torney general, and to his utter surpris'
and discontinue, he received the nomi
nation. He was more than satisfied tt
have his name before the convention FOL
this office. but the nomination took away
his breath. What was he to do? With
out even the rudiments of education
with a mere smattering of law, and go
ing to be attorney general But neither
he nor any other man thought he would
come within forty rows OF appletrees o
election. But horrible dictu! HIS oppo
nent being a drunkard, he slipped in
Well, with the aid of able counsel, ht
managed to blunder through till cleo
ton, and then the convention repudiatet
him. nominating lawyer; but he re
fused to qualify, and the committee gave
it to him as last resort One merchan
in Montana, whose wife was under carr
of doctors for seven years, was strug
Cling to meet the terrible financia
outlay. refused to uphold this palpabl
gnoramus, would not vote for him; ant
while attorney general, he secured
claim against this merchant of $4,000
and instead of giving him chance h
drove him to the wall out of pure re
venge. This merchant had to leave hi
business in the hands of strangers am
go with his wife to Minneapolis and ST
Paul four times and to New York, 70
medical treatment which threw him ia
behind, and afforded Montana's attorne
general good chance to get even. H
is decidedly pusillanimous, preferT'in
the card table i'm low saloon to decen
company. While member of the cen
trail committee for Dawson county
where the elections OF the Republical
ticket was very doubtful, he moved, Il
committee, that committee be apponte
; to hire the inmates of the several broth
els to work with their patrons N behal
OF the Republican tick1.! Think of thi
. We neutrality-suspicious. and don't you
cheeks tingle with shame at the men
ton of his name? AS another proof c
, his loyalty to the Republican party,
| swore that if Jesus Christ were nomi
: mated by the Democrats and the devil, b
the Republicans he would vote for th
devil.
Now, Mr. Editor do hope that ther
is something better in store for the pee
pie Of Montana. 1t has almost boundles
t possibilities, and if fortunate in secul
: ing able, honest men, men of intellectus
and moral worth, men that scorn to re
sort to low, degraded tricks to win a
! election, to manage it's affairs. it's futur
, greatness is assured. | firmly believ
) that we shall win in Montana this fal
? and then, the G.. o. P. is DONE and a
: such pretenders as the present mount
: ent of this important office will be rele
: gated to their proper niche, and re
3 newed hope for our republics existenc
will supplant the fearful apprehension
: that now horrify the thinking class G
e today,
May Almighty God avert from on
distressed country another Republica