The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-27
A MISSION OF SECRECY
Two Sly. Devilish Sly, Politicians
= From Helena.
A LOW TRICK ON COOMBS
Em,searies From the Capital Trying to
Run Cascade County Politics-A
Long, Hot, Dusty Walk
in the Sand.

Great Falls, Aug. 26.-There are two
crafty politicians from Helena in town
and they are sly, devilish sly. They are
here on a secret mission, that is, being
from Helena they could have nothing
but a secret mission. and the secret
part of II consists largely In meeting
on the hotel piazza in a furtive sort
of a way and whispering words of wis
dom to each other and arranging to
meet again for more such whispered
consultation OF course. nearly every
one In town Is on to their game, but
thai is Just another Helena trick. In
other words, their mission TO town, ss
every one has guessed. is to induce
Frank Ooombs TO u for the state
senate. They are from Lewis and
Clarke county themselves, but a true
Helena politician never hesitates to go
outside of his own county to mix in
politics. Those Helena politicians are
too broad and ave @ too comprehen-
sive grasp to ever conf1ne themselves
to the limits of one county.
They are w. T.. Phillips and the
chubby Tom Miller, now secretary for
the state republican central committee.
They had a little confab with Frank
Coombs last night and were TO have
had another this evening, but along
during the afternoon they became too
a. W al Dhy OAe 'ANS bNaA
ed Off in the hroiiing sun to find him
at his place of business, the brick yard
on the top OF he hill overlooking the
Boston g. Montana smelter. By some
accident they were misdfrected, and,
after leaving the street car at the dam,
they toiled across the bridge and up
the stairs on the opposite side, and
then started down the river toward
Little Milwaukee. After wading a
few hours through the concentration
sand and the powdered Stag, they were
unable to discover any signs of a
brick yard.
Miller cursed everything in sight and
much that was not, including Tom
Carriers reelection to the senate, while
even the foxy Phillips automatic, ma
chine-made smile dropped visibly in
the intense heat. They did not return
to town until late this evening, and IL
is rumored that the straddle-republi-
a party had just escaped an irrepar-
able split in this state. How they sue
ceeded in their mission, or whether
they succeeded at all, will not be
known until later. but one thing is
certain, and that is that their unwar-
ranted Interference in the politics of
the Cascade neutrality-suspicious. will
not meet with any degree Of favor. Mr..
Coombs is a mighty nice sort of a fell
low, and he has a good man. friends
IN TINS county. He mas IVed mere TOT
years and has done much for the u
ty, and incidentally for himself. and
If. as the report goes, these Helena
emissaries are here for the OF
shutting him out of the run for state
senator by ~prejudlclng his friends
against him by the manner in which
they would foist him upon the ticket.
a great mistake has been made.
Mr.. Coombs is looked upon by his par.
ty as most excellent material for state
senator, n his party needs no instruc-
lions on hat score from outsiders.
Such attempts can only be made for
he purpose of ~prejudicing his friends
against him, and. the report says, to
make for L. c.. Phelps 10 rur
in his place as a sort of Il reluctant
candidate, dragged in at the eleventh
hour. Early in the summer it was
stated around town that Mr.. Phelps
would try to make the run for state
senator If he could only get Coombs
out Of his way. Phillips and Miller
are known to be staunch friends OF
Phelps-the inference is plain. But II
is a low down trick on Coombs, jus;
the same.