The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-05-08
ROOSEVELT AND MONTANA.

Anaconda SLdnQdTQ: VI B. SuQueu,
Mr.. R%oosevelt's chances in Montana,
as a full-term presidential candidate,
have become a topic tor pretty lively
discussion in the state press.
One newspapers guess is. perhaps,
as good as another's-the Standards
guess is that, were the presidential
election to tomorrow, as against
any democrat now in sight, Roosevelt
would carry Montana and in doing that
score a comfortable majority. BY the
same token, however strange it may
seem-and it is strange indeed-the
possibilities are that, were the presi-
Dental election to occur tomorrow,
Grover Cleveland could carry the state
OF New York, as against Roosevelt,
and in doing it, score a round major
ity.
The election does not until
November in next year. Radical
changes may be wrought in New York
as we'll as in Montana before that
time comes. New York's vote cuts a
much bigger electoral college figure
than Montana's; at the same time,
Montana's attitude interests us all.
For one thing, Mr.. Roosevelt always
had a percentage of personal strength
in this region. He is the first man
in the presidency not practically a
stranger to this states people and
ways and wishes. He knows Montana,
and he is pleasantly known here. For
a second count, President k~oosevelt's
recent visit in the eastern part OF
the state and his prospective sojOurn
in other Montana cities will proba-
bly, strengthen him in popular good
will.
Men of all political parties unite in
a welcome to the president, and that
is right. At the same time, the effort
of the president during his trip doubt
less is to present himself in a favor
able way to the constituencies. Put
1t this way: If the conclusion of Mr..
Roosevelt and his friends had been
that the trip he is taking would wea-
ken rather than strengthen his per-
sonal popularity, we may be sure
that the tour would have been
undertaken. The belief was that it
would in fact help him were he to
get close to the people. The trip seems
to be justifying hat expectation; Ger.
tainly eastern Montana liked him well
and on this side of the range he will
in all probability, leave an agreeable
impression.
For a third item, there is not o
within sight, as in rivalry with Mr.
Roosevelt, any democrat for whom
Montana cares at all. The democrats
now talked about are the men to whom
Montana is Indifferent or who, by des
ert, are in d~isfavor here. Montana
twice supported Bryan, and it has
never occurred to the people of this
} state that they owe apology for hav
ing done it or that they are justly
liable to discipline because of it. Thu
: democrats now talked about for thu
5 presidency, almost without exception
: are Mckinley democrats who, like
!. Cleveland, were in unconcealed oppo
sition to the regular democratic ticke
or who, like the David B. Hill CLIQUE
a fought democracy under Bryan in
/, sneaking way. These are people
called democrats, who have scoffed a
Montana. The temperament of tn
forces in Montana is such that the
r have more respect for open opponent
than for supercilious foes within thei
e own political household.
S These things, in their combination
bring it to pass that Mr.. Roosevelt
e suits Montana pretty well. Thing
may change; they are liable to. Blu
s the agencies that the to be potent i
hLYorkipg the change are not clearl