The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-07-29
PLEADING A POOR CAUSE.

representation the Helena nuepeH
dents defense of the southern states
that have disfranchised the major por-
ton of their citizens and still insist
upon congressional representation on
the basis of a citizenship they have
destroyed is equal to the argument Of
a police court lawyer defending an
acknowledged sandbagger. 1t assumes
to dismiss discussion of the matter
by saying there is absolutely moth
ing in this contention, because the
votes and the necessary number OF
people are in those southern districts"
and declares that "the real fight takes
place at the primaries, and not at the
election, for the reason that democracy
is so overwhelmingly in the majority
in many states south of the Mason
and Dixon line that a nomination is
equivalent to an election"
Certainly, the principal fight is
waged at the primaries in those states,
and it is there that the only fight
is waged. It is also a fact that those
~contending there are all democrats,
for the man who wins is bound to go
to congress. The exclusion of the
negro from voting and the potent
argument of the shotgun as directed
to the white man who would vote the
republican ticket form a combination
of wonderful effectiveness for demo-
cratic success. AS the Independent
correctly says, the matter having been
decided at the primaries, little in
terest is taken in the election because
the voters go on the theory that there
will be enough persons going to the
polls to ratify the action OF the pri-
maries."
But how that newspaper can by
any method of reasoning arrive at
the conclusion that any parity exists
between the cases of men elected to
congress from those states and that
Of Bourke Cochran of New York is
q task trying to those who may at
tempt to unravel it. There is an utter
lack of analogy t them. The demo-
cratic majority in the New York dis
trict whence Cochran was sent to
congress was not created after the
manner of those that have made the
.'solid south" possible. There was no
open violation of the constitution by
a legislature by which the right OF
franchise was taken from thousands,
neither we're shotguns carried to the
polls for the purpose OF intimidating
those who by their votes might have
lessened the majority of the man
whom the Tammany chief succeeded.
There may have been juggling with
the ballot box and some such little,
innocent devices characteristic of dem
ocracy to make the original majority
possible of achievement, but nothing
comparable to the ways of the south
was attempted.
The Independent realizes that it has
undertaken a hard proposition and
tries to make the best it can, and by
specious argument and resort to soph.
istry attempts to becloud the issue
It knows that the principle for which
it contends is wrong, and instead OF
attempting to defend it should main
tain silence and give a helping HAND
to it's sister on the west side of the
range in its frantic efforts to sell the
Heinze properties to the Amalgamated
In its soul it must condemn the whole
thing, but in its resolution to be con
eistently democrats in all matters o
q political nature it permits it's yea
to ~overshadow its sense of justice.
Having elected Taggart chairman
the democratic national committee hal
given notice that while it may regar'
the campaign as one Of politics rathe'
than business, It Is not above combin
aww sshsainoaa" nth the main Issue.