Fergus County argus., 1898-03-02
Communicated.

LEwIsTowN, MNoT., FEB. %, 1898.
EDITOR ARGUs:-An editorial ap-
peared in last weeks Democrat tn
which 1 wish to reply briefly and
caution my Silver-Republican friends
against taking any notice of such
malicious productions, for which
please allow me space.
The editorial referred to states
that Senator Mantle has formed an
alliance with Senator Carter. have
no objection to this statement in a
sense that they have formed an al
lance to work together for the COM
mon good of the people OF Montana.
But in the sense that the editor
meant it, the inference he intended to
convey. and the purpose for which it
was intended, it was malicious and
unworthy of even T. j. Johns.
1t is a well known fact that the
action of Senator Carter has not met
with strict approval of the Silver
Republicans, and cOnld any capital
be made out of any unmitigated lie
that could be Matched that would
lead them to believe that Senator
Mantle had gone back on his pledges
by uniting with Senator Carter
against their expressed wishes, it
could be profitably used in the COM
ing campaign.
But let me say. to you. my Silver
Republican friends, you who have
not the time and opportunity to
the Democrat that any act of Senator
Mantle's indicates or foreshado
an indication that he will betray the
confidence of his friends is a-weIl,
you guess the rest.
The object in making such state
ments is to draw you into an alliance
with a clique or gang where you can
be used as q tool-or rather to be
made a fool.
Senator Mantle was elected by
representatives chosen at the election
of 1894 to represent each and every
county of the state. These repre-
sentatives were pledged to a plat.
form adopted at the state conven.
ton to vote for no man for United
States senator who was not in favor
of the free and unlimited coinage OF
silver at a ratio of 16 to l without
waiting for the aid OF consent of any
other nation. That convention also
reaffirmed the time honored and
Americanized doctrine of protection
and from the day Senator Mantle
took the oath of office his every act
has been consistent with those
principles. No man through the try.
ing ordeal and unfortunate and
mitigating circumstances could have
proven himself more worthy of the
peoples confidence than has Senator
Mantle and one who tries to mislead
his friends and detract from bis
deserving prestige richly deserves the
just contempt of any intelligent
citizen, be he Democrat, Republican
or Populist.
Had Senator Mantle exerted him
self in trying to block legislation and
following the precepts of the Demo
crat in abusing and villifying every
public servant with whom he cam;
in contact. that did not do just as h'
thought he should do, he would hav'
been a hero today-in the estimation
of the Democrat.
But such were not the principles
enunciated In the platform on whicl
the representatives were elected tha
lchose Senator Mantle to represen
the people of Montana in the Unitet
States senate. do not wish Il
enter into any controversy with an.
of Senator Nantes opponents Oh
this subject, but IL the Democra
wishes to commence a TRADE @
labuse and Justification against him
there are enough friends Of his In thi
county to nObly defend his cause.
. Respectfully,
IL BRECK ORNBACN.