The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-31
CAREER OF~jUOGE HUNT.

ANSpOllS lIOIl WASHINGTON all tell or
the splendid success which Hon. VIM. H.
Hunt of Montana, has achieved as gov
ernor of Porto Rico. No man in govern
ment service has had more delicate and
responsible duties to perform than our
former associate justice. The problems
which naturally arise in changing the
government of an island containing one
million human beings, most of them ig-
norant of civilized usages, suspicious Of
all promised reforms and knowing no
law except the law of force and tyranny
such problems call for the very high
est ability for their proper solution Yet
under the executive guidance of VIM H.
Hunt, order is coming out Of chaos.
ideas of justice are being instilled into
the minds of the people. Schools have
been established which already have a
daily attendance of $4,000 pupils Prop
erty rights are secure because the courts
are honest and impartial as we'll as nom
political. Religious liberty has replaced
Intolerance. Respect for constitutional
authority is growing among the people
because it is represented in the guber-
Material office by a man who typifying in
his own character honor, justice and
dignity, naturally inspires respect for
the power of the government. Governor
Hunt of Porto Rico is the same man who
was fearless, Jealous and vigilant
county attorney of Lewis and Clark
county, Montana. He is the same man
who was the public spirited, incorrupt-
bile and industrious champion of the peo
piles rights purity in elections and clean
local government when serving in the
legislature of Montana. He is the same
thoughtful patriotic, honorable and
courageous man who served with dis
tinction, with popular respect and
with his own respect as MEM
Der Of Montana's highest tribunal
of justice, charged, Jointly with his con-
freros, with exalted and solemn RESPONSE
bilities, and content to be Judged here
and hereafter according to the fidelity
with which he served the state and the
people. If only once, in his official career
he had swerved, If as county attorney in
enforcing the law, as legislator in making
1t, or as judge in making up the DEGREES
of justice he had left the straight path
of duty on any pretext or for any pur-
pose, VIM. H. Hunt would not today be
governor of Porto Rico, for the govern
ment would not have desired his SER
vices, the people of his state would have
objected to his appoin tment and the in
habitants Of Porto Rico would have been
quick to discover some flaw in his char
acter sufficient to unfit him for leader
ship Neither state nor nation has use
for weak men. Men who do wrong are
soon stripped of responsibility and cast
onto the human slagpile. The intuitions
of the people as to the character of pub
lie men are as accurate as Photography
or mathematics. Those who betray pub
lie trust, however, adroitly, are marked
for oblivion and self contempt the mo-
ment their power to do harm expires,
while nothing can prevent the ultimate
award of justice and the recognition OF
merit in the cases of those men who are
clean and faithful without deviation or
hesitation in the discharge Of public re-
sponsibility. No man can compromise
with his conscience or delay its operation
without it's permanent and obvious os-
sification and his own gradual oblitera-
ton as a progressive moral force, among
his fellow citizens. Justice travels with
a leaden heel, but it's time card invar-
iably provides for it's ultimate arrival and
sronut yindication. VIM. H. Hunt knew
and n1lhlic sta tiOT
he was a model American scorning temp
Aation, ignoring pressure, enforcing re-
spect. He was man whose example
and success the Inter Mountain take:
pleasure in directing to the attention o.
every young man in Montana who Woulc
himself go to the front and stay there
But to every man, whether ambitious O.
public honors or not. the life OF VIM. II
Hunt from the day he took up his resi-
dence at Fort Benton, to the day thf
president of the United States called him
frst to the secretaryship and then to tn
rovernorship of an island having
population of a million people. should b
an inspiration Before he became sue
cessful county attorney. wise legislato
and an impartial and SELF respecth;
fudge, he was a splendid private citizen
There is no greater distinction than tina,
1t takes courage and conscience, patriot
ism and Intelligence, independence an
self respect to be successful privat
citizen. so let no young man In Montan
conceive that the office holders have
monopoly of the honors. AS Il am
Roman was once the proudest boast
the foremost people of all the world. Il
us hope for the coming of that day whe
10 be an American citizen will be equal
a taaxe OF distinction as it is now /
.some respects and would be in all re
srecss If al! men. whether IN public 9