Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-27
TUESDAY,. NOVEMBER q. 1900.
THE FUSION LEGISLATURE.

opinion that the republican members Of
the legislature, from motives OF personal
and political self-respect. will hold aloof
from the contest for the election of two
senators by the fusion majority. The
Inter Mountain believes it expresses the
views of nine-tenths of the republicans
of Montana in asserting that every con-
sideration of political morality would be
best subserved by the republican mem
bers in refusing to become parties, either
individually or collectively. directly or
indirectly. to the questionable practices
which are sure to characterize the pro-
ceedings of the majority. Party disci-
pline and party unity alike demand in
dependent action on the part of the re-
puhlicans. The best interests of the
could be more demoralizing than an I'M
seemly squabble among republicans in
the fusion factions, or to make trades
with their own enemies at the sacrifice
OF political principle or conscience. The
loyal republicans of thiss state could not
consistently condone a fusion with their
opponents just after a campaign in
which they had conspicuously denounced
fusion as an exhibition of greed for
office and a total abandonment of honest
conviction. We do not believe the re-
publican members themselves entertain
the least purpose or desire to make any
trade with the fusion forces. They could
not do so without giving an Endorsement,
to some extent, to the s%candalous mis-
representation of the republican party
and it's candidates and the wholesale
corruption and frau practiced by the
fusion leaders to carry the state against
the best interests of the people in the re-
cent campaign.
If, when a legislature is elected in
this state after a discussion of the issues,
IT shall become the practice for all men,
bers to abandon the wishes of their con-
stituents. violate solemn political obi
cations, ignore party discipline and duty,
and become needless of the distinctions
of party platforms by INDUCING in an
inliscriminate scramble for senatorships
or whatever else is in sight, then the sys-
ten of party organization and party re-
sponstbility in this state is at an end
forever, and legislative orgies will bien-
nially take the place Of the usual order
1y transaction of public business unde
proper partisan auspices in the public
interest. The republicans of Montana
were defeated in the recent election, but
they emerged from the conflict with
reputation andc har unimpaired, with
no opinions changed, with a record and
purpose at once clean and patriotic, and
certainly in no mood to join hands with
their enemies and compromise or condone
crime for the sake of the possibility oil
q senatorship. Whom would they help tt
send to the senate? Hon. w. A. Clark
who was chiefly instrumental in defeat.
ing the republican ticket, or Mr.. r. A
Eeinze, who charged the republican
nominees, Including the Mckinley cleo,
tors, with being the abject creatures O.
the Standard Oil company, or Mr.. JOS
X. Toole, who went about Montana
threatening to run legitimate capital on
of the state? Why should republican
In the coming legislature help elect an,
one of these gentlemen who, in the cam
raign, conspired to divide and defea
the republican party? What is the US
of having a party if it's successful can
didates coalesce with it's enemies in tn
legislature or elsewhere? On party ques
tions in congress are party lines ignored
1t should be the same in a state legisla
lure.
But there is still another reason VIII
the republican members of the legisla
ture will doubtless avoid taking part i
democratic conventions-a reason asid
from the question of party disciplir
and fidelity. This newspaper realizt
that some of the best men within the r.
publican ranks were elected to the legi
.lature on. November Z. They are men
reputation, of influence, of characte
who enjoy their own and the public r
spect. We would ave them continl
above suspicion, We would have the