The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-11
at the Billings Postofhce as Second
Glass Matter.
TUESDAY,, NOVEMBER II, 1902.
A OFF.

va AN V0SOAS ~
usual vocations, it appears opportune
for this paper to review the results
and especially that part of the vote
cast in this city. The Gazette pro-
review a few things calmly and dis
passionately. 1t will not abuse any
one, but aim to bring out certain
facts. so that recurrence of the
same errors may not be brought into
the presidential campaign two years
hence.
The returns of the election of last
Tuesday, especially that part Of the
returns relating to the four voting
precincts in the city, show a wide
range of figures between the vote for
gress, and the vote for
Yegen for senator and that
of Beyer for representative
both of the same political faith. Dixon
is credited with a majority of 116
in the city and a total of 246 in the
county. Yegen for the senate in the
city was defeated by a majority of
81 votes and Bever for representative
by a majority of "A votes. According
to the total returns Yegen carried the
county by a majority of Is and Bever
goes in by a majority of four. 1t is
conceded that the Importance of the
vote for Yegen and Bever, from a
political point Of view, should have
gress in the county. Yegen and Bever
carried practically the same vote as
did Dixon outside of the city and for
the slump on the two legislative can
didates in the city there must be
some cause.
People naturally wonder why the
legislative ticket was sacrificed in the
city. 1t goes without argument that
unless something of an unusual char
acter happened within the party ranks
in the city the candidate for the SEN
ate and the candidate for the house
would have carried the party vote.
Both men are reputable and success
full men Of affairs in the city. Moth
ing could be said against them and
their characters are above %reproach.
The one has resided here for 20 years
and by his fairness and upright bus
mess dealings has made a name for
himself which is respected through
out the entire county. The other,
while not SO well known, is respected
by all who happened to form his &C
quaintance and he had every reason
to expect his party vote, had condi-
tons not arisen before the election
which threatened his success, togeth-
er with the defeat of the party can
didate for the senate.
Plainly stated the narrow margin
by which Mr.. Yegen and Mr.. Bever
have secured their election is trace
able to the interference of non-resi-
dents of the county in the affairs Of
the party. These interlopers were
federal and ex-federal office holders
conniving and scheming with a few
chosen spirits in the county and hold
ing dark lantern sessions for the con-
troll of the party in the county and
drifting it into channels to use it for
the purpose of prostituting the will
OF republicans and debauching the
party machinery, prompted thereto
NV n1forinr rnntivnc 0f Tho rooc% 49,
tionable character.
1t was for this reason that scores
OF republicans in the city resented the
insult at the polls. They did not
protest against Yegen and Bever.
These candidates as men were sat-
isfactory and under any other con-
ditions would have undoubtedly re-
ceived the party support. 1t is also
fair to say that the legislative can
didates of the party were not looked
upon as stool pigeons in the interest
of the questionable methods injected
into the campaign by the non-resi-
dents who dictated the movements of
the party machinery in the county.
The silent rebuke vas wholly against
the manipulation of outsiders and
their allies here who were not candi-
dates for Office.
The foregoing is a plain indictment
in the case and it remains for the men
who were responsible for the Injecting
of outside influences to say what Vel
1owstone will do in the campaign two
years hence. II the same tactics are