The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-09-22
FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER sa. 1899.
.pARTY DUTY"

DAWSON county REVIEW: Ihe next
state convention Of the republican party
will DO confronted with some Of the
most serious questions that have con
fronted the party since it's organization
in Montana. The greatest difficulty
that they will meet will be what dispo.
sition to make Of certain political trait
ors who IRE now clamoring for places
on the state ticket. That the true re.
publicans will not surrender the party
organization to those who have proved
themselves unworthy Of the confidence
Of any political party is certain.
Then the Review asks, ''shall we
trade the principles Of the republican
party for votes?' The Gazette IN.
hesitatingly answers. no. The princi.
Piles Of republicaris,n as announced in
the st. Louis platform cannot be sur.
rendered. and there ia no intention on
the part Of anyone, 80 far as this news.
paper knows. to prostitute them. It
was not done by the republican state
convention last year, which squarely
endorsed the St. Louis platform, and
those who were not true to 1t il '98
were glad to return to the fold under
such conditions. Col. W. r. Sanders,
the wal horse of Montana republican.
ism. said to that convention, "It mat.
ters not where a man stood in '96; the
question il, is he Il republican toduy?"
That was answered in the affirmative
by the former silver republicans sub.
'scribing to the st. Louis platform and
being received in good fellowship III
the republican party. Would the Re.
view call these men traitors?
Several times during the past few
weeks our esteemed Dawson county
contemporary has contained editorials
of the same tenor rs the above and, il
we are not mistaken, has declared
against the nomination of any man for
Office next year who did not stand upon
the st, Louis platform in '96. Such a
policy, The Gazette believes, is carry.
ing radicalism too far. We know Of
10 man or men who are seeking noml.
nations on next years state ticket, but
the choice Of candidates should be
made from the ranks Of republicans
who were true to the party in the last
campaign. II the policy Ia adopted Of
reviving the Unfortunate and deplora.
BILE fight Of '96 the party will be limit.
cd to some ten thousand members and
there will he no hope Of success what.
ever.
Colonel Sanders position is good
enough for The Gazette. which was the
first newspaper in Montana to hoist the
Mckinley banner and which has never
since wavered from the cause Of straight
republication. We believe, however,
in adding recruits to the party, al was
done last year, when 80 per cent more
votes were polled for the st. Louis
platform than were cast in '96. The
Review ia the only newspaper in the
state which takes the peculiar position
that there can be no republicans except
those who marched in the procession
during the last presidential campaign,
but our esteemed contemporary, we
trust, will abandon this narrow view
and welcome to the party all men who
can support the splendid administration
OF President Mckinley, Montana can
be carried for the republicans next year
II such a policy Is adopted, which il
the only sensible course to pursue.
But u construction can be placed on
the pardon of Captain Dreyfus--it il an