Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1903-02-20
Walter Roasts Ben.
Paris Idaho, Feb. IS, 1908

WISH bO Ou6T u IlUll6 explanation
on the interview of Ben e. Rich pub |
lished in the Capital News OF February
10, and hope you will favor me with suf |
ficient space TO give the above named |
gentleman short write up.
Ben talks OF loyalty" / defy him
to show where have been disloyal in |
single instance either in politics. religion
or business. His base insnuations to |
the cont al Notwithstanding.
Now for his record in the school of
loyalty. He has changed his politics at
least five times in ten years. as follows:
Democrat, republica.. silver republican.
democrat, and then republican again
and between times just by way of diver
sion the gentleman has been very strong
ly tinctured with populism, and think
from his record lately he leans very
strongly to socialism. To which party
has he been loyal2 Is it not travesty
on loyalty for him to use the word in
anv sense2 think it is q word that
does not belong to his vocabulary Whv
his most intimate friends wouldn't
trust him in a primary for the election
OF scho trust ees. Those who are the
best acquainted with him trust him the
least and shun him the most
Now for the appointment Of his bro
ther David to the position of travelling
guard for the penitentiary. The Paris
Post opposed this appointment for two
easOns; The first was that he and his
brother Ben and their following did all
in their yower to defeat at least three of
4 the regular candidates on the republi-
can ticket and elect democrats in their
stead Was this loyalty to party2
But worse than this, at the state con-
vention at Boise Ben made a solemn
pledge in about the following words:
| Az arr To io( rss xxs11 H. I
in my power to elect Alfred Budge, etc
This pledge was made in the presence
of the following gentlemen: Hon. ID.
w. Standrod. Senator w. w Clark.
DR.. G. A. Hoover Hon. VIM. Bndge.
j. Ell. Wallis and myself, all of whom I
believe will testify to the fact; and then
Ben broke his pledge and Dave also. and
did everything In their power to defeat
him and Notwithstanding the sacred
pledge he made unsolicited do not be-
lieve he ever intended to keep it. The
other reason for opposing the appoint
ment of his brother David is the heinous
crime he comitted in Utah and for
which he was convicted some years ago
which I consider unfit for any position
of trust. Now for Ben on the deceit
and treachery" and the rake off, busi-
ness. Ben to my certain knowledge got
$4,000 from the republican party in the
year 1894 to buy the plant ON which to
print the Silver Hammer and in less
than year he was using that organ TO
kill the party and elect democrats
Who got the rake off, and how much
loyalty did he manisest?
If ever Zen e. Rich has ever done any
thing without having rake off" and
IL he ha$ ever paid his debts in any place
where he has ever resided his most init
mate friends are unaware of the fact
Now in regard to that mortgage I
paid of a cording to his insinuations
and sneers. / never gave mortgage
on farm but once. and am very sorry
to say that mortgage is not paid off to-
day nor any part of it, Ben's sneers and
insinuations to the contrary notwith-
standing.
NV trip TO Scotland was made rs he
well knows as religious duty and when
he makes light of it. as he does. it CON-
vinces me that the faith he processes
; and which he claims to be preaching
now. is with him fraud. IN sounding
brass and n tinkling symbal" But for
the information OF Ben-he has been
} harping on this for good many years,
will state that the money nsed ON
my trip to Scotland I did not get as he
generally gets bis. in rake off," but
| obtained 1t honestly and by sacrificing
some property-a saw mill-which
sold at half it's worth in order to raise