Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-11-23
Towne's Lament.


eral days in Montana last week.
Just what his mission was is not
definitely known. Possibly he came
to weep on Charley Hartman's bo-
som and cOndole with each other.
Then, again, his monthly stipend
may have been cut off as soon as the
election was held and he was anxious
to know whether the silver kings
were going to put up to keep his
tongue wagging in the future. No
money, no CAB.
In any event he stopped in Helena
long enough to address the Jefferson
club Of that place and tell how he
happened to fall outside of the breast
works DOWN. in his Minnesota district,
and incidentally spread a little taffy
on his friend Hartman. He said his
defeat would not have been accom-
plished had he been willing to remain
silent upon the vital question before
the American people," A virtual adj
mission that the silver issue is dying
out in his own district. The Ana
conda STANDARD, in it's report of the
meeting, says: More thar one who
heard his address made the state
ment that it seemed "a shame to
defeat a man who could talk like
that"
That's theidea, exactly. Mr.. Towne
is a brilliant talker; SO is Bryan, SO is
Ignatius Donnelly and James b.
Weaver, but they are jugglers of the
English language; they use elegant
rhetoric to conceal plain facts that
practical, common sense business
men are familiar with. For a time
such men are dangerous, but sooner
or later they are accurately measured
for all they are worth and then lose
following and influence. Mr.. Towne
exhibited a great deal of bitterness
in his address. A man who is advo-
eating "a greatcause should not stoop
to abuse or personalities. He should
be grave, sincere, honest and earnest.
But Mr.. Towne plainly showed how
bitterly he took his defeat and falls
to the level of a fishwoman in the
folio wing excerpt:
The name of the Republican party
was associated with the days of
Lincoln and the principles the party
represented 40 years ago, and some
times people were inclined to forget
the difference between the party OF
that day and this. III you want to
have an illustration of the difference
between the party of 1898 and that
of 1860, observe the difference bet
the typical Republican of then and
the typical Republican of the present
time. Look on this picture and then
on that. Look at the face of the
immortal Abraham Lincoln and then
gaze upon the lineaments of Mark
Hanna.
Now, the above is a fair specimen
of Mr.. Towne's rhetoric and logic.
With a small mind, thoroughly preju-
diced through personal interests, it
would find welcome lodgment and
with the ignorant and vicious it
would call for shouts of approval.
But it is the dishonest language of a
buffoon; OF a man who is sorc be
Mark Hanna may have con
tributed to his defeat. But it is the
Mr.. Towne tricks his audience.
He deals in vituperation and sarcasm
of facts. Mark Hanna is
a shrewd, ~iar-seeing business man
of managing large affairs,
and his close friendship for President
naturally suggested him
rs manager OF the campaign. The
result proved the wisdom OF his Sc
lection. There may be ADLER sena-
tors than MIR. Hanna when it comes
to questions OF constitutional law,
out the senate needs some business