Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-10-23
FAULTY KEASONING

ioA DoIhln, tne mckinley candidate
Tor governor of Montana, has issued an
appeal to the voters of the state. Tn If ba
takes the remarkable ground that the
national issue has nothing to do with
state politics. Tnis position he states in
an indirect but none the less emphatic
manner. 1t is apparent that Mr., Bot
Kin is begging the question and attempt.
ing to deceive and mislead the people,
Still, frankness and honesty are not to be
expected from man who saws that he
Is for free coinage and that he will SUD-
port and vote for Mckinley. With the
knowledge of his inconsistent and dis
loyal attitude in that respect. no one
need be surprised at anything that
Botkin may say or do.
But let us inquire whether he is not
trifilng with facts when he ssys state
politics have nothing to do with the ns-
tlonal ISSUE. No sane and truthful man
in the state will deny that the remoneti-
zatlon OF silver will be of vast material
Importance to the people of Montana,
nor will he deny that it Mckinley is
elected free coinage is hopelessly lost for
certainly four years. This being the
case, it makes great difference to the
people whether our congressman is for
silver and our state officers from top to
bottom in accord with that sentiment,
Small as is the electoral vote of this
state, the political battle here is being
watched with eager interest in the east
and all possible capital being made by
the Hanna men out of the most trivial
occurrences in our midst We proclaim
ourselves, and truly 90, silver state, but
we are paraded in the doubtful states az
having goldbug candidate for governor
on the republican ticket. This humili-
ating fact is preached from every stump,
to the great detriment of the cause of
silver for, whether right or wrong, an
impression prevails that the silver bat
tie, it won, will be of more benefit to the
west than to the east, and doubtful voters
are led to believe that we are not in earn
est in our advocacy Of the cause. Why
shouldn't they, when they know that a
candidate for the highest Office is Nc.
kinley man? Strange as it may seem,
this apparently unimportant fact may
influence enough voters to turn the scale
in one or more of the doubtful states,
and Botkin and his associates on the
state ticket will be responsible for it.
Would it make no difference? Stop and
think. The election of Bryan would
open up our idle silver mines and give
employment to thousands, to say nothing
OF the many more thousands who would
find work in other industries for with
the resumption Of silver mining there
would be an increase in all other lines of
business. The general stagnation would
give way and an era Of prosperity that
would permeate the entire state be ush-
cred in. The general veal demands the
restoration OF silver, and any man who is
lighting against that, as Botkin is
doing, is traitor to Montana, and
shows brazen etfrontery to ask for
popular support. Botkin knows that
the success of Bryan would mean pros
perity, and the success of Mckinley con-
tinhed depression; still he is arrayed on
the side of our worst enemies and can't
ing about "the present conditions" as
though they are not directly attributa-
BILE to the characterization of silver. The
appeal OF Mr.. Botkin should fall on deaf
oars. He is not entitled to single vote,
and will not receive one unless the
voters desire to put a premium on