The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-08-15
HARTMAN'S

TO THE PEOPLE OF MONTANA.
The persistent efforts of the Miner
in commenting upon its report Of the
Butte conference to place me in a false
position with the people OF Montana,
will be apparent to every one who un-
derstands the true position occupied
by myself with reference to a Con-
g%ressional candidacy. The newspaper
report OF the incomplete statement OF
my position and the construction
placed upon it by the Miner is mislead-
ing. In justice to the many friends
that / am proud to claim among all
political organizations in this state,
who have not only been just, but gen.
erOus in their treatment OF me. and in
justice to myself, / repel the unfound-
ed charges contained in the Miner That
by any word Or deed of mine, any in
suit or slight has been offered on in
tended to any man or political party in
this state. 1t is also due to those
friends and to myself, that a plain
statement of my position upon this
matter be given to the public.
Circumstances OF recent occurrence
have served to create d condition,
which to my mind, and to the minds of
others. seem to demand su~bOrdinatiOn
Oh partisanship to the support OF what
we believe to be the greatest issue pre-
sented to the American people since
the Civil wal.
I repeat what | have said IN public
addresses before, that the cause OF bi-
metallism is the cause OF humanity
and civilization: it is greater than any
political party-it is greater than all
political parties. To contribute my
mite to the success of that great prin-
ciple, Like some Others-have be-
lieved it my duty to refuse to support
the gold standard nominees OF the re
publican party for president Inc vice
president. | claim no credit for that
course. The act was but the perform
ance OF what | believed to be a solemn
duty, and no man has a right to claim
credit for the performance OF duty.
In other fields than Montana, where
work in support of ~bimetallism is
needed, | shall be found from the 10Th
day of September until election day
doing whatever duty may be- assigned
me in support OF that cause. My name
will be submitted TO the silver wing OF
the republican party, at its state o
September, next, as u candidate for
representative IN congress. l cannOt
anticipate the action OF hat Onven
tion. | belong to the republican party
of Montana, Il which, in my judgment,
e%ighty-tive per cent. of its membership
agree with me that the free coinage oI
silver at the existing ratio. lnuepen-
dent of any nation on earth, is the
paramount issue.
agree with the other declarations
in the republican state platform OF
1894, and cordially and heartily en-.
dorse the free coinage plank in the
democratic national platform of 1896.
l have not been offered a nomination
by the democratic party of Montana,
and do not presume such offer will be
made, because, among other reasons,
the democratic party of Montana knows
that I have not changed my belief
upon other questions contained in theil
platform, and the acceptance of q
nomination by them without expressly
disappearing those planks with which
| disagree would be in the nature of an
endorsement on my part of those
planks. This l cannot consistently do,
hence a nomination by that party could
not properly be offered nor accepted.
However kindly disposed the conven'
tion might feel toward any one occupy
ing my position, an. endorsement is all
that could properly be given by it, and
all that could properly be accepted.
This the idea which l entertained when