Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-11
The WELCOME TRIAL.

The democratic feud in this state has
been SO thoroughly ground into the
public consciousness. in one form or an
other, that the tendency to take sides on
every issue presented by the controversy
is natural to the average man. Agita-
ton along any line of human thought
leads up to alignments, and those closely
and almost constantly in touch with this
feud. at any point of contact, yield at
last to the impressions received. and
number themselves with those who have
taken sides as to the merits of the fight.
Thus it happens that a great majority
of the people, republicans and democrats
alike, are in greater or lesser sympathy
with one faction Or the other, according
ITO the views imbibed as to their rela-
tive merits. There are times, however,
when loyalty to the interests Of the pub
lic-to the reputation and welfare Of the
state-should lead the high minded and
we'll meaning citizen above and beyond
all personal ~sympathies and personal
animosities acquired by contact with any
phase of the controversy. The present
situation unquestionably calls for that
impartial observation hat cannot be ex-
pected of partisans who look through
oolored glasses. and draw their conclu-
sions accordingly.
There is nothing unusual in the re-
spective attitudes of the newspaper rep
'resentatives of the contending factions.
lThey feel an intensity of interest in the
outcome of every controversial event
second only to that of the principals
themselves, n if should happen that
reports of the Welcome trial in their
columns are to some extent distorted.
either by omissions or exaggerations. as
the case may be, the public will charge
the dereliction up to the same over
anxiety to win that has led them in the
past to approve of the most questionable
OF political methods.
Upon those who stand for the public
veal, rather than for either wing of the
state democracy, there devolves the
higher duty of weighing with candor the
merits and dement's of the controversy,
insofar as the interests of the
wealth are concerned. 1t must be con-
fessed that an analysis from such an in
dependent standpoint reflects little credit
upon either side. Were all the disered-
liable acts chargeable to both factions
condensed into one composite picture it
would be nothing more nor less than that
in Aesop's fable where the pot is calling
the kettle backbone case wherein the
Neracity Of neither could be seriously
doubted. That fact, however. does not
destroy the significance of any issue in
volying the amenability of one faction
or the other to the laws of our land.
If in the struggle for a strangle hold
one faction brings to its rescue the whip
cords of the law, it is entitled to it's day
in court just as much as if its own robes |
Were as spotless as the Alpine snow. If
by such a precedent it may in the future
make possible its own ~undoing, and TINS
conserve the public welfare through the
GtSJfCctIOu OF It's enemy ana Itself,
affairs in this state may finally assume
a normal condition and be placed by an !
All-Wise providence in the hands of the
people. Good may come out of Nazareth,
and the ends of justice are not always
dependent upon the purity of the agen-
cies that bring them about.
To what extend the Welcome trial
may unfold a scheme of public debauch-
cry can be determined oaly when the |
evidence is all in. On the face of the
published testimony, it does not appear
that the defendant wintered in Helena
for his health. Unless the creditability
of the witnesses is assailed it has al
ready been shown that Mr.. Welcome |
went beyond the limits of democratic |
propriety, as established by both wings !
Of the party in the senatorial contest
some six years ago. Juries are often |
to weigh the c~reditability of
witnesses by their demeanor on the
stand, as we'll as by what they say. AS
the public cannot secure a very intelli-
cant plimnsa at their demeanor throuyh |