The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-10-24
TUESDAY, OCTOBER "a, 1899.
A SHAM EFUL RECORD.

A SHAMEFUL RECORD.
Fort Benton Press: The record of d
political party should be the subject OF
review when it seeks public favor. II
its career has been honorable and praise
worthy, it should be given due credit
for good character; but If it has been
untrue to its trust and has brought
disgrace upon it's constituency, il
should be visited with deserved punish.
ment by the people who have been be.
trayed. A glance backward over the
political history Of Montana will con.
vince all fair.minded citizens that the
democratic record has brought dishonor
upon tho people of this state, and that
further degradation may follow demo-
cratic control Of public affairs.
In this connection the scandals asso.
dated with the democratic state legis.
lature Of 1898 should not be forgotten.
The senatorial contest Of that year wit
messed u vicious fight between the rival
democratic factions, and charges Of
wholesale bribery were freely made
against each of the democrat Ii contes.
tants. This carnival Of corruption o II
tinued throus hout the session, and as a
result of the bitter democratic strife,
Montana was deprived Of one.half of
it's proper representation III the U. s.
senate.
There was another democratic state
Legislature in 1897, and the people of
Montana were again the victims Of
misplaced confidence. One Of the dem.
'ocratic members Of that body was ex.
PEELED for accepting a bride, and one of
It's democratic officers was sent to the
penitentiary for stealing a bill and pre-.
venting it's enactment into law.
But the scandals attached to the third
and fifth legislative assemblies, bad as
they proved to be, were outclassed by
the d%isgraceful proceedings connected
with the democratic state legislature
that was in session last winter. Tho
full story Of it's shocking depravity may
never be told, but the testimony of
democratic witnesses reveals a state Of
affairs that is a reproach to the people
of Montana. The courts have attempt.
ed to detect and punish some of the un-
scrupulous conspirators who are alleged
to have used corrupt methods in fur.
therance of their schemes, but these
efforts have not yet met with success.
The parties accused Of wrong.doing de.
cline to assist in the investigation, and
when questioned regarding matters that
would tend to prove their guilt or limo.
oenoe, they refuse to answer. This re.
fusal to throw needed light upon the
subject indicates a desire that the whole
truth may not be discovered.
A Helena banker Is under arrest for
refusing to produce evidence requested
by the courts; a Butte attorney is
threatened with disbarment for his
alleged connection With the bribery
scandals; Fred Whiteside, a democratic
champion Of political purity, is under
arrest O. a charge Of attempting to
falsify election returns; and when a
Montana democrat, holding a certificate
Of election, attempts to take his seat in
the U. S. senate in December he will
be charged with having secured his
credentials by bribery and fraud.
These are a few Of the disgraceful
incidents that have followed democrat.
ic success in Montana during the past
six years. A political party that has
brought so much dishonor upon its
constituency cannot expect to retain
the confidence and support of the PEG.
pie.
s DEW Y AN NSInN IST