Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-08

IeTFeu TO-. buI When IL SuCCeeOeO
| through criminal methods in carrying
Silver. Bow county over the Clark men,
it was firmly convinced that it's enemy
had been downed. and could by no pos
sible political twist of the wrist rejuvi-
nate his shattered slopes. The Stand
ards love for the silver cause, it's former
anxiety to effect a fusion in order to aid
the free coinage movement in the only
hands of a tramp.
1t felt strong enough not only to de-
feat the senatorial ambitions of Nj.
Clark, but to name a senator of it's own!
sion on the silver sentiment throughout
the nation-the one great object to be
attained through co-operation-when the
; opportunity of making a n a of Mr..
wildering glare of a preliminary politi-
cal success? The Anaconda democracy
set it's forces at work to defeat fusion,
and accomplished it's purpose by a sys-
l N0LA VI llAlAPuAuNAOA NAoS "oo "o oAo"
creditable as it was effective. But the
Standard lived long enough to realize
the woeful truth of the words of the poet
! when he said:
| The best laid plans O mice and men
! gang aft agley.
/ Defeated in it's plans to secure q sena-
| tor Of it's own, through incompetent man.
agement, and the ability Of the Standard
| to illustrate the fact that 'vaulting am
bition o'erleaps ITSELF" and now anxious
waning power as a political force in
this state. through a revival Of the fu-
sion idea, the Anaconda democracy seeks
a new excuse for it's conduct in 1898. It
is found in the statement tina fusion
might have resulted in the reelection Of
MI. Mantle to the senate, n that
would have been a great calamity to the
silver cause! True, MI. Mantle had
stood by the free coinage movement in
season and out Of season, and fought
loyalty for the white metal on all occa-
sions upon the senate floor, yet it was
discovered about the time of the Butte
primaries that it would not do to take
chances on him.. after it became certain
that Mr.. Clark was a back number. and
that the senatorial toga was safe within
the keeping of the Anaconda wing Of the
democracy.
MA II ic no Seine cfro 90 fhot NV no1u ord
the Standard did not discover the fact
that Mr.. Mantle did not leave his seat
in the st. Louis convention, mi that he
was unworthy the confidence of silver
men, while they were proclaiming the
policy Of fusion from the housetops for
months. It must nave been an inexcus-.
able oversight that deferred this start.
ling discovery until the Butte primaries
were captured by the Anaconda democ-
racy! Mr.. Nantes record was known
to the public all the time the Standard
was yelling for fusion, n yet that sheet
continued it's efforts in behalf of a CO.
operative policy.
Now, at this tate date, it pleads in
e~xtenuation of it's sudden change of po-
sition on that question, the day follow
ing the Butte primaries, that Mantle did
not bolt the st. Louis conventions! It
suddenly dropped a policy advocated by
the silver chairmen and by Mr.. Bryan,
and championed by Mr.. DAILY himself for
months, because it discovered that Mr..
Mantle believed in honest, practical
work for silver rather than in spectacu-
lar displays that served no purpose in
the progress of the cause!
-
In framing it's excuse, however, for its
treachery to the silver cause in 1898, the
Standard overlooks the fact that the re-
election of Mr.. Mantle was by no means
an Indispensable feature Of the fusion
policy. Such a contingency bore no re-
lation to the plans for cooperation, other
than as a possibility. The fear that Mr..
Mantle might be a candidate, among 9TH
ers, should have had no bearing Upon the
conduct of those who sincerely believed
in h policy of fusion. Principles are
greater than men. and If the Standard
was honest in it's original advocacy of fu-
sion on the merits of the question, it
should rave continued it's fight for that
policy. in the interest of the silver cause.
regardless of whether Mr. Mantle was or
was not a candidate for senator. It could
have been true to the fusion idea. as II
progressed to be, and opposed the candi-
dacy of Mr.. Mantle, after it discovered
thai he had not bolted the st. Louis con-
NentiOn. lust as II is nrofassadlu q oha~.