The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-07
THE
From Wednesdays Daily Gazette.

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THE ELECTION.
From Wednesdays Daily Gazette.
NConstd aring all things the republi-
cans of Yellowstone county have rea-
! son to feel satisfied with themselves
On this bright November day succeed
ing one of the most earnest and close
ly contested political campaigns ever
fought in the county. Only three OF
their candidates failed Of success.
Various causes might be advanced for
their defeat.
1t may strike some as remarkable
that in a county usually republican
by several hundred the legislative
ticket of the party should have Jared
no better than it did. That it so hap
pened is conclusive that party line
were largely ignored and personal
matters were allowed to influence the
voters. In the case of Mr.. Bever 1t
must be admitted that he was op-
posed by one of the most popular
men the opposition could have Sc
lected. His opponent is n of the
Oldest citizens of the county and
known personally to almost every vot-
er within its borders. He has been
connected with other campaigns
made by his party and always de-
yeloped a strength that could be &C.
| counted for on no other ground than
immense personal popularity. In his
case it may be said that it was the
man and not his political affiliations
that decided the contest.
While elected, Mr.. Yegen failed to
receive the support that he had rea-
son to expect in view of his party's
majority in the county. Like Mr..
Bever he was running against a gen
tlsn1an WAC is admittedly one OF the
strongest men that the democrats
could have placed on their ticket, But
there was another reason for the
small vote polled by Mr.. Yegen, par
ticularly in the city. Early in the day
it became noised about that his
friends were fighting the bonding
proposition and many who had in
tended to give him their support, on
the strength of this report cast their
| vote for his opponent. 1t is true that
denial Of the report was made, but
the mischief had been done, and
| right or wrong, many votes went to
Mr.. Gruwell that were originally in
! tended for the other candidate.
Influences and methods usually re
garded as unfair and not in conso'
nance with the principles of legiti-
mate political campaigning may be
held largely responsible for the election:
of Mr.. Burla as treasurer and the de-
feat of Mr.. Deverill. AS late as with
in two days of the election itself the
republican nominee had every reason
to believe that he would be success
ful. It was then nat the methods re-
feIred to were put into practice and
the wrong influences began to exert
themselves. Mr.. Deverill may say
truthfully that he was beaten by a
combination of circumstances and
methods which unfortunately only too
often prove successful in this state
and against which those who are
made the subjects of their designs
prove helpless.
Mr.. Hubbard's election for the
third time only proves how popular
he has made himself as sheriff, and
the loyalty of his friends. His re
publican opponent made a strong and
clean fight against him and it is
doubtful whether any other man the
party could have nominated would
have done any better.
In summing up the situation it only
remains to be said that the manner
in which the head of the ticket ran
must be accepted as evidence thai
Yellowstone is still a republican coun.
ty: With the party united and local
factions and enmities eliminated nc
reason can be advanced why the
county as well as the state ticket can,
not be made to win every time. But
until that time comes such results as
those Of yesterday must always be
looked for. 1t cannot well re other.
wise.
While the figures cannot now be