Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-05
THE INDUS 7R/AL COMMISSION.

Despite it's knowledge of the facts, the
Anaconda Standard persistently misrep-
resents ex-senator Nantes connection
with the industrial commission. With
a righteousness of purpose to. which a re-
putable newspaper would not descend, it
deliberately f~alsifies the facts, hoping
thereby to create prejudices upon a pure
ly imaginary foundation. 1t has been
repeatedly asserted by our contemporary
of the commission by President McKin-
ley, as a'reward for his alleged desertion
of the silver cause!
This falsehood did not originate with
the Anaconda Standard, a newspaper
noted for it's utter lack of originality,
even in the prevaricating propaganda of
the democratic party, but with a bour.
bon daily in the city of New York, which
prefaced it's statement and betrayed it's
ignorance of affairs, by declaring that
Mr.. Mantle had cleft the democratic
party" on account of the inducement of
fered by the president! It is only fair
to state that the New York paper looked
upo the "desertion" Of Mr.. Mantle
from the democratic party as a small
loss to that organization. The paper
spoke more wisely than it knew, for in
asmuch as Mr.. Mantle was never a DEM
ocrat, and never had the slightest idea
of becoming one, and never betrayed any
democratic symptoms. his "desertion''
from that party was necessarily Of NIL
croscopic proportions. But the ignorant
New York daily started the story which
the Standard, and other small fry bour-
bon organs, nave since repeated.
1t may be of incidental interest to the
public to say that under the law Great
ing the industrial commission, the duty
of appointing nine civilians fell upon the
president of the United States, while the
presiding officer of the senate was en-
powered to appoint five from that body.
and the speaker five from the lower house
of congress. These appointments were
ilOl llASdL III CIdTdCl0I, ana IL was
provided that members of the commits
sion who drew salaries as senators or
representatives should receive no addi-
tional compensation. In case the term
OF any member of the commission ex-
tended beyond his congressional term.
however, he was to receive during that
time the same compensation allowed
other civilians on the board.
The senatorial appointments comprised
two republicans, two democrats and one
silver republican-the latter being Mr.,
Mantle, whose term as senator from
Montana had not expired. Mr.. Mantle
had consistently espoused every republi-
Gan measure before the senate, except
the attitude of that party on the silver
question, n the balance of his term
was characterized by the same course
His appointment to a non-partisan board
came wholly without solicitation. and in
the nature of a surprise. His activity
in behalf of the interests of the white
metal has been just as marked since his
appointment as before, and the demo-
cratic members Of the board are Just az
thoroughly democratic as they were pre-.
vious to the assumption of the extra
duties placed upon them by the vice.
president in conformity with law. II
will be seen therefore that the mendaci
GUS falsehood circulated by cheap penny.
a-llners about ex-senator Mantle has nc
place in fact outside the shrivelled cere,
bruins of his professional detractors.