Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-05
proach a little crooked politics might
with prODrietV he emplOyed.

with propriety be employed.
Be that as it may, it would seem from
ar unprecedented standpoint of view that
the democratic legislature is entitled to
an honest reputation among men until
opinion Of the people. On the face of
things, the Standard must be charged
with too much haste in prejudging the
accredited representatives of it's own
party. No reflections should be cast upon
them as a body, merely because they are
compelled to live in an atmosphere that
is "thick with DOODLE" on account of the
state capital being located in a place like
Helena instead of in Anaconda. They
can't help that. Moreover, the Standard
should bear in mind that this senatorial
contest is purely a democratic fight, and
tina it is a hard draft on the patience
of the press of other political ~organiza-
ions to be compelled This early in the
bout to rush to the defense of the honor
and integrity of the lawmakers of this
great state.
The Standard this morning publishes at
the top of it's editorial page the following
initiation of the 3-7-77 warning of the Wig
iIantc days: .sThis w~atchword, lately
made potent against boodlers in Chicago.
ought to be blazoned over the main en-
trance of the temporary capitol in Hell
ena: Make it hot for the men who take
brides. and hotter still for men who give
bribes.' " Think of this, with a demo-
cratic majority of 54 on joint ballot. Ye
can such things be?
We told the Standard during the CAM
paign that the best way to prevent this
sort of thing was to elect a silver republic
can legislature, but our short-sighted con-
Evidently the Inter Mountain was right.
It would not nave been necessary then to
nail the Standards billboard over the ,
front door to the legislative halls. But
we can't see what good that sort of a cir |
Gus poster will do any way, if the air in
Helena is so thick with Doodle that it can
be cut with a knife! Under such circum-
stances how could a democratic legisla- |
tor see the sign. especially if he hap
rened to be a short-sjghted man as most
of them are?
But getting down to the serious side of |
the matter again, the Standard casts a |
look Of unutterable woe upon the herd of
democratic statesmen and says: "The
spectacle presented today is one of shame
less bribery the like of which has no
match in the history of political corrup-
ton in the United States" This is a pref
ty tough editorial assertion for a demo-
cratic paper to herald to the world at
large respecting a democratic legislature,
when it has been in session only three
days. No wonder some misguided demo-
Gratis in the east, like Grover Cleveland,
who is doubtless a constant reader of the
Standard, gets the erroneous impression
that Montana is an undesirable state"
In concluding it's comments on the de-
plorable condition of democratic morals
at the state capital, the Standard catches
its breath long enough to say that the
methods of bribery employed there AN
not win out in the election of a senator.
This being the case, would it not have
been better for the reputation of the state
corruption in advance of TIE election?
Would it not have been wiser to shield the
members of the legislature from the i'm
putation of crime, if attempts in that di-
rection are without effect insofar as re-
suits are concerned? In brief, are not the
members of that body entitled to the
benefit of the doubt until proven guilty?
If the Standard makes it's charges Of
bribery honestly, it must in the nature of
things have a substantial basis for its