The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-07-20
Party Leaders.

The Standard this morning, being in
its usually cheerful mood, copies from
the san Francisco Call a warning al
dressed to the republican party, and
adds:
The asucndancy of the commercial
boss. or men like Hanna Platt AddirkS
ana Quay, who make scarcely any secret
Of the fact that they are in politics fo-
almost anything save their health, en-
l}hasizes the urgency of the Cars pro-
lest. 1t may be that they are simply
the camp followers Of the great repub.
lican army, but for the decade past. at
least, they are the men who have wri,
ten republican platforms and dictated
republican policy.
The standard may hope to prevent
discussion of the character of demo-
cratic leadership by vigorously assailing
a few republicans who it says are il
charge of the republican party, but that
excellent journal will have to stick to
facts little more closely if it would at
tract public attention. Hanna, Plat,
and Quay, it is admitted, are influential
in republican political circles, but they
do not alone dictate either politics or
platforms TO the republican party. Even
il they should do so, the policies AMI
platforms would compare very favorabiy
with anything in the same line produced
by any democratic leaders the Standard
might name AS for Addicks it is sutfl,
Gent to say he has never been conspicu
Gus in republican circles outside of his
own state, where he figures as an Oh
structionist, with more money than
brains. Mark Hanna may not have
shaped his course to please the demo-
cratic organs in this country. They
abuse him because he holds them in con-
tempt, not because they can prove any
of their insinuations against his char
acter or his private or public career.
Perhaps the best answer to the insinua>
tons against Mr.. Quay is that the peo-
pie of Pennsylvania, after a campaign
in which he was the main issue, elected
him to serve another term in the federal
senate. The people of Pennsylvania
have given Mr.. Quay certificate of
character which no democratic organ in
this country can prove him unworthy OF.
Mr.. Platt of New York it is true is an
trusted by the rank and file of his
partS He is an organizer, boss per-
haps; his system is not always above
criticism in the estimation of some re
publicans, yet he manages to retain the
confidence of his party and his bitteres,
detractors are unable to give any specific
evidence Of his wrong-doing. The same
is true of Hanna. The two men arc
hated because they have so often
any act of their private or public lives
rejecting any discredit ukon them.
Leaving Hanna. Quay and Plat in the
clutches of the Standard, however, can
that widely circulated guardian of the
political morals of three parties in this
country, compare them to their disad-
vantage with Dave Hill, Croker and
Pitchfork Tillman, three dictators of
democratic policies and platforms? Hill
was the idol OF the Kansas City conveli-
ton. Croker was its absolute boss.
Tillman was it's presiding officer. Is the
Standard proud Of the trio? Does It
even indorse the platform they prepared
and put through? Is Senator Jones, a
high official of the Cottonbale Trust, one
half as courageous and consistent as
Senator HANNAH And what of the other
democratic leaders? Senator Mills of
Texas and his friend Hogg, who used SO
bitterly to rail at the greed of the Stand
ard Oil sharks. are themselves million
aires, now, and officials in giant corpora
tions they have organized. Pettigrew
having made quarter of a million in
railroad stocks has Quit traducing ever.
man with ten dollars to the good and
stopped his efforts to spread discomfort
and class hatred among contented pao.
pie. If not commercial boss, like ths
Standard says Hanna is, he is a financ.a
boss, which is worse. Even Charles 4
Townc, the former silver champion, who
In New York only last week declare
silver to be III its last gasp--he is at thu
head of Il great land and oil syndica,,
and anxious to make a Vast forum,
without regard to the masses who grow
poorer while the rich grow richer. Hi
solcitude Cor them vanished when II,
Joined the ranks o. the nabobs
The truth is that each of the srca
political parties contains politicians o
the practical kind and that any news
paper which by continually carping q
such men ca one side thinks to shie
worse on the other Size, mistakes tn
temper ana intelligence of its readers
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