Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-26
FARMS WORTH AND THE SUIT


Notwithstanding the hard blow which
prosperity has administered to the hopes
of the democratic party. Providence oc-
casionally throws a bone in it's way.
The marvellous agility exhibited by the !
press of that political organization. in
picking up new issues, would do credit
to a naturalist in his midnight search
for a new l~ightning-bug.
The latest thing to come their way,
since Atkinson became an old story, is
one Farnsworth, who is now under ar
rest for OVERRIDING the orange blossom
fad. AS related in the Inter Mountains
Geographic columns last night. Mr..
Farnsworth, whose chief worth is in the
last half of his NAME, confesses to the
undivided ~husbandship of forty odd
just as much for having absorbed two
wives as if he had made a century run,
he freely acknowledges that his wives
are fat. fair and forty. AS none of his
poSS oIe as YET Olu enough TO vote, 1t
may be asked in what manner does all
this concern the democratic party?
1t is in Mr.. Farnsworth's ~shrewdness.
He publicly announces that he will, as a
matter Of defense, fall back upon the
constitutional rights enjoyed by the sui
tan of Sulu. If the sultan of Suit can
have two or three hundred wives with
out suffering an additional punishment.
why should he not have a small job lot
of forty? In this the democratic party
sees an opportunity to test the consti-
pines. AS the constitution guarantees
equal rights, it is argued tina Farms
worth and the sultan should stand on an
equal matrimonial footing and no ques-
tons asked. Both being under the pro-
lection Of the American flag, it is held
that k treatment should be accorded
them. But in assuming this position, the
bourbon press hold out very little en-
enlargement to Farnsworth. This morn
ing the Anaconda Standard says:
The constitution in this enlightened
day is not the hard. stern. tight, inflex-
ible thing that it used to be. 1t stretches
like the conscience of David Harum ne
gotiating a horse deal. In the hands of
President Mckinley it is as springy and
elastic as you please. 1t possesses all
the residence of a rubber ball. 1t can
be bent INTO as many positions as a
Whalebone. If emergency arises, it can
be dispensed with altogether. II 4
The time may come when citizens of the
mother country will be on terms of
equality with those of the colonies in
fact as we'll as in theory, but it will not
h. in Mr.. FarnswOrth'S day and genera
ton. He should try to understand that
the constitution means one thing in
America proper and another in Americas
far-Off possessions.
From the foregoing 1t will be seen that
if F~arnsworth does not acquire the rights
temporarily enjoyed by the sultan oil
Sulu, he can lay it all to Mckinley, who
has manipulated the constitution unit
it is so springy and elastic that it ear
be suspended at will. The man who
married like forty will know to whom his
misfortunes may be charged. 1t may be
some consolation to him, when sitting il
his lonely cell thinking of God and hom'
and native land, to realize that it was al
McKinley's fault! Had the constitution
been in the hands of a democratic presi
dent F~arnsworth would feel tina he ani
the sultan would have stood an ever
show as competitors in the matrimonial
field.
Still, there are a few people left in the
United States who will not agree Will
the constitutional arguments of Farms,
worth and the Standard. Remembering
that the democratic party never inter
fered with ~polygamy, as practiced 70
years in the then territory of Utah, Will
allowing the married mar il
the states to go to Jail, some people viii
question the sincerity of their concern
about the sultan of Sulu. and the com
parsons that are instituted in the Farms.
worth case.
So far. no constitutional government
has been established in the Philippines
and laws covering the domestic concern:
of the people are subject to militar,
conditions. This situation must prevail
until The conclusion of peace in the arch
ipelago enables the form of government
operative. Though the sultan Of Sriu i: