Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-13
HARTMAN AND THE STANDARD.

This morning the Anaconda Standard
flies to the rescue of its a~ttenuated poll
teal protege-the distinguished states
man from the messy banks of the pelucid
Sourdough. 1t attemps to justify the con-
duet of Mr.. Hartman last year by such
statements as the following:
When he saw the Mckinleyward trend
OF the silver republican, organization OF
Montana. he either had to turn his back
upon the organization, or swallow the
principles upon which he walked out OF
the st. Louis convention.
AS MI. Hartman seems to lack the abii-
ity to swallow anything that does not
bear the label of the Anaconda wing of
the democracy, he quite naturally want
ed to protect himself against the trend
of the silver republican party. When that
organization was effected it gave its adj
herence to all the principles of the repub-
1ican party. taking exceptions only to it's
stand upon the financial question. 1t
took issue with the Mckinley men upon
no other question whatsoever. 1t sup
ported Mr.. Bryan in 1896 on the para
mount issue of that campo ign, and upon
no other. In 1898 the silver republicans
stood precisely where they stood in 1896
advocates of the free coinage of silver,
but adherents to the doctrine of protec-
ton to American industries and to the
other n~on-financial principles of the re-
publican party. There was no change
whatever in the principles of the silver
republican organization from 1896 to 1898,
and there was no change whatever in the
attitude of leading silver republicans in
the public advocacy of those principles
with the solitary exception of Mr.. Hart
man.
Silver republican newspapers and
speakers, With the exception noted. advo-
Gated protective tariff laws and the re-
= lnonetiZation of silver, and stood Loyalty
by one and all of the doctrines promul-
gated by the organization When it was
called into being in 1896. Mr.. Hartman,
however, for reasons Which have since
become apparent, ~repudiated every doc
tflne advocated Dy the silver Republicans
except the free coinage of silver. He
went back on the principle of protec-
ton and on every other republican doc
trine which formed an integral part of the
silver republican faith. Aside from the
Formally of changing his Label he became
a full hedged democrat to all intents and
purposes. Had he followed the example
set of political vibrations. he might have
effected their organization. and publicly
ayoWed his purpose to get into another
Set of political vibrations. he might have
preserved his reputation for sincerity
howevermuch his judgment might have
been questioned. But he chose rather tc
play the part Of an underhanded sehenl
er, and Judas-like betray the men who
had innocently pinned their faith to hi:
leadership.
1t was not the 'trend" Of the silve.
republicans which led Mr.. Hartman il
1898 to secetly conniye with the Ana.
conda Standards wing of the democracy
10 break up the OfSanlZe JlOn from Wnlcf
he solicited and accepted a nomination
for congress. Its platform was as loya
to silver as it was in 1886, and it was n,
more loyal to the non-financial doctrines
of the republican party than it was il
the Bryan campaign. If it was thu
''trend' of the silver republican organi
cation that led Mr.. Hartman to compor
himself as he did, why did he not re
fuse to accept a congressional nomination
at its hands? It's platform OF principle
in 1898 was adopted before Mr.. Hart
man was placed in nomination, and if tn
trend of the party was not to his lik
ing he should have refused to accept tn
honor conferred upon him. ON the con
trary, he made a speech Of acceptance
and pledged his best efforts to carry tn
banner of the party to victory at tn,
polls.
1t transpired later, however. that short
IL before that speech rolled from the lip
of treachery and deceit, Hartman ha,
been in conference with prominent dem
Ocrats in Anaconda and had agreed t.