The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-10-31

Silver Republican convention was q
regular organization. It's business was
carried on in the regular manner. Its
chairman and other officers were reru-
larly elrcted. A state central commit.
tee was appointed with the Hon. Lee
Mantle as chairman. This committee
mas been active since it's appointment.
Acting under the authority of Hon. Lee
Mantle. chairman of the state centra,
committee of the Silver Republican
party, A. j.. Bennett OF this city. Sill
yer Republican committeeman for
Madison County, called a county con-
vention of the electors of this political
faith. The convention was held in this
city on the 18th of October. AS the
time for filing nominations within the
statutory limit expired on the dav fol-
lowing, haste was necessary. However
the purpose ofthe convention-to nomi-
nate a county ticket-was backed by a
petition containing the signatures of $50
Silver Republicans, which document is
now on file in the Office ofathe county
clerk. The convention was regularly
organized. 1t was called to order bv
Mr.. Bennett in his official ca pacity. A
chairman and secretary were chosen
and all proceedings were regular. The
ticket was placed in nomination and a
central committee chosen. That's the
story of the Silver Republican conven
ton in a nutshell. 1t was simply an
honest and legitimate effort to place our
county nominees in their proper place
on the ballot in the Silver Republican
column. If it was wrong, hen right is
wrong. 1t has been called a dark Ian
tern session" and we herewith, on the
eve of the election, turn on it's proceed
ings the search light of publicity, know
ing that it will bear inspection.
The Monitor asks:
IF they are for free silver why don't
they vote the free silver ticket through
OUT"
That one little sentence gives the
whole snap away. 1t objects to the pa
rade of any candidate in silver plated
armor save those constituting the fu-
sion ticket. 1t objects to matters being
arranged so that the Silver Republican
can mark his cross at the head of the
Silver Republican column, and vote for
Bryan. Hartman and the county ticket
at the same stroke. 1t wants them to
begin at the head of the Democratic
Populistic column and-keep on down
the list.
What does the alliance of the Demo-
Gratis and Populists mean? The answer
to this question is the answer to a SINH
lar query pr%opounded by the Monitor
| with reference to the Silver Republican
ticket. The p~artisanship of the Moni-
tor makes us sick.
When it objects to Silver Republican
ism it objects to Charlie Hartman.
And by the way, Democrats should re-
member that only a few months ago the
Monitor was violently antagonistic to
Charlie Hartman. 1t cannot afford, at
this late date to openly assail Mr.{aart-
man and its attack upon the Silver Re-
publicans is simply a roundabout attack
upon this young champion of silver.
At the first Madison county conven-
ton, held May . OF this year. the men
who now constitute the Silver Republi-
can party of Madison county, adopted
the following resolution, by an almost
unanimous vote. The resolution was
framed by Mr.. Isdell:
"It is the sense of this convention that
the Republicans of Madison county will
hold themselves independent of any &C.
ton on the part of the national conven-
ton, which would be antagonistic to the
interests OF the state and in opposition
to the platform adopted by the state
convention"
Could words be more manly. It was
a political pledge in advance to the ef-
feet that if the st. Louis platform de-
clared for gold. the Republicans of
Madison county would not support the
Republican nominee for president,
And are they standing by their word:
Echo answers. Two thirds of the Re-
publicans of Madison county would fight
for Billy Bryan.
And these are the men whom the
Monitor, representing the allied Demo-
Gratis and Populists, dubs "political par
asites.' These are indeed dark days
when political patriotism is held so
cheaply.