Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-11
POLITICAL HANDiCAPS.

Not the least interesting feature OIL
the political campaign in Montana next
year will be the handlcaps when tne
several parties already have on haiio'
and which may be largely increased as
the date for the great tournament draws
near. The democratic party IS especlali9
unfortunate in this respect, IN d locai
way. and it may we'll be doubted Whethef
the liberal use of Doodle and brass oahds'
and the coercion of voters. can again WIN
a victory for that political organization
in this state.
The record made by it's legislature last
winter has no parallel in the history of
public scandals. 1t was the most dis
graceful body Of lawmakers that ever
sat in any state, and every avenue or
legislation was controlled by capitalists,
who purchased the right of way for bills
of their w designing. Elected as 1t
was by the liberal use of Doodle. and
through the coercion of voters. what
could be expected Of such a body but
the retailing of legislation at so much
per yard? 1t is not at all likely that
the sensible people Of this state will re-
peat the experiment of a democratic VIC
tory, when the nauseating record of the
Sixth assembly is laid before them.
Another handicap will be the %erratic
course pursued by Montana's democratic
governor. While he was elected as a
populist, with the aid of democratic votes,
he formally renowned the party Of
Chairman Shifelbin and Pat Meany and
resumed his democratic views. His rec
lamation by the democracy, after an
apostacy Of some years, was the occa-
sion of much rejoicing, and he was duly
initiated by being placed on the stump by
the democratic state committee.
Since then he has permitted the laws
of the state to be violated, and the lights
of the people to be trampled upon by
military authorities. He has committed
the democratic party to a policy inimical
to the rights of the laboring man, and
placed another handicap upon it's back.
His administration has been weak and
vascillating, and there is nothing to
which the democracy can point with
pride when it's platform resolutions are
formulated for the campaign of 1900.
Still another handicap of extra weight
is the division of the democracy into two
which is trying to read the other out Of
the party. The feud has reached a point
where no sort of a compromise is posi-
Bile. 1t has ruined the ability of the
democratic party to legislate honestly,
it has occupied the attention of our courts
to the exclusion Of other matters, and
taken the time Of judicial officers whose
salaries are paid by the people, and it
has scandalized the state and made it's
name a by-word among men. With such
handicaps, how can the democratic party
of Montana hope to again win the favor
of the people?
Aside from the unfortunate scandal re-
1ating to Major Becker, who lately re-
tired from an indian agency Under a
cloud, the republican party of this state
so far has no local handicaps to carry
in the next campaign. Having taken the
necessary steps to supplant Major Becker
with 4 gentleman of well known probity
of character, the mistake made in ap-
pointing the Billings man was promptly
atoned for and can scarcely be consid-
cred as a handicap. Thus, the republican
party bids fair to enter the campaign
without any local loads to carry, to make
the fight for supremacy against a politi-
cal organization whose recent history in
this state is a career of uninterrupted
scandal, weakness and disgrace.