Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-24
JOE ToOLE'S

VOICE VI Il StelltoT, al tne I1eieiNa eoitNeH
ton, as he swung his muscular arms in
the air and stood in front of his audi
ence, a splendid specimen of vigorous
young manhood. Three hours 6 when
1 declined the nomination" he continued,
Il had nervous prostration; but since
then l have eaten two dozen oysters, a
and cabbage, two pounds of pate de foie
sras and a persimmon pie, and 1 now
feel well enough to reconsider my action
and accept the great honor l have thrust
upon you. as the vote just taken shows
you do not think 1 could stand the
fatigue of the campaign"
This may not be the exact language of
the democratic candidate for governor.
but it sufficiently describes his senti-
ments IL attitude. To be exact. the
democratic convention in the afternoon
Toole for governor by a vote of the
counties. He was understood to be will
ing to become the nominee. The day be-
fore he had made a speech SO eloquent,
so full of expressed devotion to the de-
mocracy that the convention went wild.
Practically he was the nominee at that
moment. On Friday he was formally
nominated, receiving Silver Bows 122
votes. No sooner was the result an
nounced after the counties one by one
had, in his presence, voted for him, than
he advanced to the platform to accept
the honor, as every delegate and spec
tator supposed. Instead of so doing,
however. he stunned, nonplussed and
enraged his audience by making a speech
of declination! He could not become his
party's standard bearer n explained
why. Then he retired, leaving the con-
ventioa in an uproar Of excitement. Sur
prise. CONSERVATION, i~mprecation sue
ceeded one another. In confusion, the
convention adjourned.
On reassembling, Chairman Neal stated
that he had good news for the delegates;
he believed Mr.. Toole had changed his
mind, and moved hat the gentleman be
to the platform to explain his
and that a delegate from each
county be appointed to form a committee
to escort him to the stage. The motion
was put and lost, Silver Bow furnishing
II ayes and los noes-a loss of III votes.
The chairman, in the confusion Of yells
and curses from new-made friends and
foes, declared the motion adopted, and in
a turmoil without parallel in the history
Of Montana conventions, the fallen idol
Of democracy assembled the platform and
delivered his second speech Of the day,
accepting what he had before rejected,
that his previous action
had been based on considerations of
health, n concluding dramatically with
the assertion that he placed his life in
the hands Of his party and was willing
to sacrifice it for his party's good.
With flashing eye, vigorous gestures,
defiant attitude. and with the figure of
Apollo Belvidere, he stood there the
apotheosis of manly strength and beauty,
and, noticing that most of his auditors
We're still hostile and unbelieving, he
concluded his address and strobe like a
gladiator from the stage, shaking his
brawny fists at the delegates and pass
ing from the scene.
That is the simple story of J.. K. Toole's
nomination for the governorship, based
on the Inter Mountains special reports,
the printed accounts of democratic news
papers and the testimony of friendly
spectators and delegates. 1t was the
most remarkable act ever witnessed on
any Montana stage.
If Joseph X. Toole is at the present
time a sick man, whose life or health. is
endangered by his candidacy; if it was
on that account that he first declined the
from a sense of duty to his party, his
conduct was in a sense heroic though
cratic, and the Inter Mountain will be
the last newspaper in the state to say
one unkind word of him or impugn his
motives in the slightest degree, though
his election would be an endorsement of
the present state administration and a
calamity to Montana. If, on the othe.
hand. the vigor with which he may con-
duet the campaign may indicate that his
physicians nave been unduly alarmed, or
if the excitement of the campaign and
the hope of a senatorial toga, or
mayhap the quality of mixed drinks he
may imbibe in the COW counties shall
bring about his sudden recovery, then
friendship ceases, and the democratic
standard bearer may expect to receive
plain but always courteous treatment in
these columns.
DEMOCRATIC ARGUMENT.