The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-01-16
TUESDAY, JANUARY IS, 1900.
4 BIRDS EYE II

tlOl frO0 "A ~ nepup!leuu, WHoS
position in that campaign was the same
as tint Of the editor Of this newspaper,
The Gazette desires to heartily endorse
the sentiments 90 ably and f~orcefully
expressed. They are in line with an
editorial published IN these columns a
month ago. urging unity Of action BY
the republicans in the forthcoming cam.
paign, but on, correspondent puts the
matter differently he Is, perhaps, more
forebearing to euch faction Of repub.
licans than The Gazette has been to
either. This newspaper feels that both
have made mistakes in the last two
campaigns, that they ensily onn aud
should be avoided this yea, and this
state aud county redeemed to the re-
publioans. "A '9e Republican"
thinks 80, too, and he was as strong a
McKinleyite that year us there was in
Montana. But he sees the utter folly
Of assuming II holiet than Thou attitude
this year on account Of his consistency
in '96 aud reads u mild lecture to the
men who take that position, He does
it consistently, too, because he was one
Of them, and we trust they will profit
by it. II they do not, the republican
party will 20 marching o. without
them; our corr sepondent well says they
ware the weakest sort Of a minority III
'0s. And this year, il they take the
same position, they will be weaker
still; affairs political have so shaped
themselves that a union Of republicans
entails no sacrifice Of principle by any
one; the man who contends otherwise
in tho face Of the existing conditions
will lay himself open to the suspicion
of being Il sorehead.
But the communication Is the matter
to which we desired to direct attention,
It IL a good one, came to The Gazette
wholly unsolicited and we wish other
republicans would take interest enough
in the party to discuss Its affairs in
these columns. They are always open
to correspondents, whose views are very
often better than those of the editor,
and now il the time to begin to shape
things up for the next campaign. Read
carefully what IA 90 Republican,
has to say, write and send in your
views of his communication and the
discussion is sure to be fruitful Of good
results to the party. The communica-
tion follows:
Editor Gazette: The beginning Of a
new year il a fitting time for medita.
tion aud good resolutions. A new cen.
tury, filled with new duties. confronts
US, and new history awaits u making.
Good oitizens not only obey the laws
and pay their taxes and other obliga-
tions, but have u duty to the nation
and the community III which they live.
Each individual is al atom Of the great
body pUlitic, aud IL only enabled to
register his opinion ut long intervals as
to the proper guidance and government
Of that body. The year 1900 will wit.
ness another battle royal between the
opposing political theorists, and Oh the
result. the history and condition of the
country tor the lext four years depends.
Each individual shnres ia the RESPONSE.
bility. 1t is to republicans, particu.
larry, and to all who have a growing
tendency to become republicans, that
we desire to speak even this early In
the year before any partisan hent ia
manifested, to point out some mistakes
in the past, and briefly review some re-.
cent history, in the hope that it will
not repeat itself.
Early in the nineties, when Presi.
dent Cleveland and the democratic
forces in senate aud house reformed"
the tariff, the country got only what
it expected and whit 1t deserved Then
came the panic Of 1898. When. just
following the panic, the same senate
and congress repealed the Sherman law,
authorizing "A limited coinage Of silver
each month, the attention Of the whole
country was drawn to the money ques.
tion. 1t was not at that time n party
question, but was regarded as II ma
tional one, and opinions on the subject
were formed Inadvertently aud non.
estly, u%ninfiuenoed by party bins. 1t
required time to adopt the silver senti.
ment as a party creed, and the panic OF
'03 and the subsequent hard times led
to a wide divergence OF opinion as to
the cause Of the nations distress.
These opinions erystalized In 1896,
with the adoption Of opposing theories
BY the two great parties. This Ia nll
recent and familiar history and it IL
needless to enlarge upon IL.
But right here many lifelong lepuh.
licans came to the parting Of the ways,
and the same was true Of many old line
damnoyats IN MANY ri tina former vel.