The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-08-22

arlstocracy has assumed tina members
Of the palmer walks of life cannot be
named for positions of trust without a
sacrilegous intrusion upon the sanctity
of the self satisfied elect. Let me saw
to you that in my humble Judgment,
the newspaper man who deals honestly
with the public. who day after day
holds the light upon the acts of public
men and through whose efforts the
people are enabled to Judge of men and
measures, occupies a position as
honorable as any within the gift Of the
public and needs offer no apology to
him who while clothed in brief
authority would place his puny finger
upon the press to silence criticism and
blind a too indulaent public. I repeat
and emphasize all that [ have said
about your conduct at the Republican
conference in this city. Ihave nothing
to r%etract, nothing TO withdraw. no
excuses to offer, nc steps to retrace.
When you returned from St. Louis
The Miner overlooked your past RECORD
and wish flaming headlines proclaimed
your glory to the world. It Withheld no
evidence of your temporary triumph
and gladly gave you credit for what
some were led to believe was a sincere
withdrawal from the association of sill
ver's enemies and welcomed you into
the rank of silver's friends.
What has TRANSFERRED since that time:
While posing as a candidate for non
partisan Endorsement you attended a
partisan meeting of the state Republi-
canScentral committee for the purpose
of eRecting a compromise in the interest
of the straight Republican ticket. I'm
der the lash of the gold bug members
of your party you pledged yourself to
support the straight Republican ticket
in this state, a ticket which will be com
posed in part of the gold members OF
your party. Not satisfied with this de-
tiance of the non-partisan sentiment OF
the state. you declared that you would
not accept a nomination of the Demo-
cratic party and your declaration was
not only direct and unqualified but it
was unprovoked. uncalled for and from
a ~non-partisan standpoint, inexcusable.
The Miner printed your defiant re-
mark and denounced it as a complete
violation Of the nOn-partisan sentime nt
behind which you had shielded your
self, and | take this opportunity OF
emphasizing all that The Miner has
said on the subject.
That you made the statement cannot
be denied, and your present attempts
to qualify it are not in keeping with
the courage and directness which the
exalted position which you occupy
should command. However, it is ir
perfect harmony with other ~inconsist~
encies which it may become my duty
to mention:
The mar who has done the least for
silver Of any member of the con-
gressional delegation from this state
should be the last to pose as the here
OF the battle. The test of loyalty to
silver was during the weary months
and years when the fight which result
ed in the great victory at Chicago va
on. During that struggle there were
several tests of fidelity. One of them
came when the Republicans from the
silver-producing states were called
upon to stand between tariff legisla-
ton and silver. The Dingley tariff
bill was brought forward as a Republi-
can measure. Senators Carter and
Mantle stood up in the United States
senate in the interest Of silver and
voted against their party measure.
What did you do? When the Dingley
bill came up for action in the house
you voted for it and so far as you were
concerned permitted the silver cause to
go by default. Mr.. Carter as chair
man of the national Republican com
mittiee was damned by the Republican
press and politicians of the nation
while you escaped the wrath and enjoy
ed the favoring smiles of your gold bug
Republican associates. I am not
defending Carter am drawing a
contrast.
When Senator Teller declared over
a year ago that he would support no
party in 1896 which refused to espouse
the silver cause The Miner stood with
him and, declaring that it would oppose
any party which failed to declare in
favor of free silver coinage, called upon