Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-09-18
TO 0BE SMOKED OUT
Cascade County Silver Republicans
Will Demand Pledge From
Every Nominee.
Those Candidates Who Proved False
to Hartman Are Evidently
Not in Favor.

The silver republicans of Cascade
county met Tuesday in convention to
nominate county ticket. The call did
not state the purpose of the meeting,
further than to state that it was "to ar
range preliminaries of the campaign"
and consisted of only few lines printed
in an obscure portion of the republican
paper. However, the court room was
pretty we'll filed with silver republicans,
who were generally ignorant of just
what the purpose of the meeting was.
Judge Tallant called the meeting to
order, explained that it was necessary to
nominate county ticket in order that
the arrangements and agreements made
at Helena between the silver and gold
men might be duly carried out. He
then nominated Judge Burleigh for
chairman and W. S. Frary for secretary,
and they were duly elected.
The next step was a motion by Judge
Tsllant that the republican county ticket
as named at the regular county conven-
ton, be nominated. This motion pre-
vailed without opposition.
A resolution, also prepared by Tallant,
authorizing the chairman and secretary
to certify the names of the nominees to
the county clerk, was also passed.
A resolution, authorizing the chair to
appoint committee of FIVE to choose q
county central committee, was also
passed without opposition.
This ended the cut.and dried program,
prepared by the republican leaders, but,
unfortunately, the rank and file, which
had hitherto sat in their seats, voiceless,
began to wake up and presently the fun
commenced.
E. L. Cronkhite said that atthe recent
| county convention quite q number OF
delegates to the state convention had
openly and shamelessly disobeyed their
instructions and betrayed their con.
stituents by neglecting to vote for
Charles S. Hartman for congress. He
wanted committee appointed to draw
up some suitable resolutions and q
pledge, which should be submitted to
candidates and central committeeman
for their Endorsement, which would com.
nit them to the cause of free silver il
they wanted silver republican support.
He made a motion that a committee OF
three be appointed for this purpose His
motion prevailed and the chair ap.
pointed as such committee Judge Tai
ant, s. S. Hawkin and David Rice.
These gentlemen reported, few min.
utes later, a platform which was, in
effect, duplication Of the state plat
form adopted by the silver republicans
at Helena, with an additional plank
pledging support to Charles S. Hartman
and bidding him God speed in his east.
ern trip for the furtherance of the cause
Of silver.
The pledge was a short but carefully
worded one, which stated that the un-
dersigned believed in the principles OF
free coinage at the ratio of lG to and
agreed to do everything in his power TO
further the cause of silver The report
was adopted.
| A delegate at this point suggested
that the convention was going too fast
One OF the planks pledged support to the
state ticket, and il Alex. Botkin had de-
clared bis intention to vote for McKin-
ley, as reported in the papers, he, fol-
one, would never vote for him, and he
was reliably informed that there were
several other goldbugs nominated al
Helena. This statement woke the latent
enthusiasm OF the meeting, and there
we're cries of "That's 3d." 1t was evi
dent that there was danger to the slate
ahead and the leaders looked uneasy.
Frank Boardman said that +. D
Cooper, one of the candidates for county
commissioner, and H. H. Nelson, a can
didate for the legislature, had gone back
on Charlie Hartman and they woulC
never get his VOTE Cries OF "Same here
came from all over the hall.
Then the simon-pure silver men, no
interested in the distribution OF county
pie, took courage, and Leo De Marsh
offered a resolution to the effect tha
every candidate should be required t.
sign the pledge reported beforee his
name was certified to as the candidate
of the convention. The motion was SAC
onded by E. L. Cronkhite.
Judge Tallant foreeaw general wreck
and Jumped into the breach. He made