The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-09-29

bis home county TO be able to rally the
republicans to his support"
How about the gubernatorial booms
of Mantle and kessler?'' I inquired.
Mantle, ! believe, is al avowed
candidate for the nomination. but you
would be surprised if you knew how
small his following ia i'll Silver Bow
county. He couldn't begin to secure
the delegation, nor even half Of it, and
if he can't do that in his own county
his nomination is out of the question.
Personally, | admire Mantle very much
and am his warm friend, but be made
the political mistake Of his life when
he failed to identify himself with the
straight republican party last year. He
thought, I believe. that DAILY would
evolve some scheme whereby he could
be returned to the senate, but DAILY
threw down both Mantle and Hartman
SO hard that neither Of them will ever
rise again to bother him. Mantle can
eoure practically no following what
aver from the straight republicans Of
Silver Bow county. They might have
been willing to forgive his apostaoy in
'96, if be hadn't repeated it last year.
But that was the last straw. Mr..
Mantle cannot hope OF expect to lead
the republican ticket in this state in
the next campaign, or even to have q
place OH it. He should get in the
ranks and drill awhile before asking
for any favors.
las regards Colonel Kessler, l guess
lie has the g~ubernatorial bee buzzipg in
bis bonnet, all right, but I don't be.
lieye it has reached the proportions Of
u boom, or eve will. You see it is a
long time yet until the nominating
convention meets, and Colonel Kess.
ler's war record will not then be az
lustrous at it is now, by any means.
That is his chief recommendation for
the position and, while l would not il
any manner disparnge the services Of
Colonel Kessler an commander Of the
First Montana, / think you will find
that he will not be talked Of for COVER
nor when the time really comes to
name the candidate. In fact, I doubt
very much whether Silver Bow county
will press the claims of anyone very
strongly for gubernatorjal bonors.
She might ask for the congressional
though, and if she does I
would like to see Charlie Leonard NOM
He doesn't want il, mind You,
or any other Office, but is the strongest
man in Silver Bow county today.
Both the Mckinley and silver republi.
a II have absolute. confdence in Leon.
ard. and ! would like to see him pitted
against Campbell for congress. Camp
bell deserves to be beaten for mixing
up az he did III the senatorial fight,
and Leonard wouldn't do q thing to
him. He'd just naturally mop up the
earth with Campbell, that's all. But
talk is only idle speculation. I
know that Silver Bow county
will be out tor either the gunernatorial
congressional cadidats. She is en-
titled to II or the other, though-or
both. for that matter. Silver Bow
will come pretty near casting ne.third
Of the vote Of the state next year. and
Il the republicans over there unite and
for anything, the party managers
be short.sighted not to grant it. "
Much more, Of more or less import.
ance, was said, but I guess I have
enough Of it for this time.
The Gazette, Of course, neither endorses
repudiates the opinions. Of the gen
just publishes them as an
interesting bit Of political gossip.
I notice that Senator elect w. A.
Clark WAS before Justice of the Peace
ut Butte Wednesday, to make
, deposition in the 500, O00 libel suit
against the Butte Miner by
Fred Wbiteside for defamation Of char.
During the course OF thu exam
Mr.. Clark was asked Ito state
whether o. not there was any expense
attendant upon your campaign or can.
'ass, or organized effort made by these
OF whom you speak which re.
'ulted il your election to the United
States senate?"
Mr.. CLARK, very naturally. declined,
answer the question, his attorneys
akiDg the position that 1T was 'irrele.
ant and iMmaterial." Whiteside's |
attorneys, on the other hand. insisted
hat Mr.. Clark should answer or DO
tor contempt. but the justee
II the peace ruled that he had no right
o judge Of the relevancy or irrelevanoy
II a question. and therefore could not
MI. Clark for refusing to an.
'wer. Notwithstanding this ruling,
lowever, the senator-elect was asked a
,umber of other leading questions re.
the senatorial fight and the use
# money, but declined to answer any
II them. From II legal standpoint they
we're all Irrelevant and immaterial"
before q justice OF the peace,
The law plays some queer freaks.
'ure enough, when it takes into con-
emIlation the relevancy or materially
II teStimOnv. A lavmnn would natnr.