The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-11-04

men. Mr.. Walsh said Mr.. Lindsay
had e it necessary to pledge him
self that If elected governor OF Mon
tana he would conserve their rights
and see to it that none of them was
deported or convicted without a fair
trial and due process OF law. 1t was
not necessary for Mr.. Toole to make
a similar pledge. His great love for
the toilers was known and his past
record in that respect had more
weight and was more to be relied
upon than all the pledges and prom
Uses an untried man could make.
Democracy the True Panacea.
The trusts, the dishonesty of the
railroads and many other subjects
were touched upon. IN the speakers
opinion the only true cure for the
evils worked by railroad combina-
lions and their %pandering to the
trusts and combines lay in public
ownership, but unfortunately, the
people had not yet been properly edu-
Gated on that score and until they
were a railroad commission was alb
solutely necessary. If they wanted to
escape all the dangers, present and
threatening, they should vote for
Toole and a democratic legislature.
A Messenger Of Joy.
Governor Tole was now introduced
and announced himself as the bearer
of good news to his democratic
brethren. He said he brought them
the glad tidings that the party would
be successful, in other words, that he
would be reelected and would hold
his job for another four years.
Much to the surprise of those who
remembered his previous utterances
on the subject, the governor branched
out into a laudation of fusion and
/ threw bouquets at the feet OF the
populists and laborites, whom he des-
ignated as patriots giving an exhibit
ton of the greatest patriotism ever
manifested anywhere on earth. Be
fore he had proceeded much further
in his laudatory remarks it was made
known that they had been prompted
by the fact that instead Of nominating
men of their own, these parties had
patriotically endorsed Governor
Toole and promised to support him.
The governor declared that he could
not dismiss the subject without max
ing due recognition of the debt the
party of which he vas the leader
owed the populists and laborites.
National Issues.
National issues were discussed, but
only briefly. The governor praised
Judge Parker and once more commit
ted plagiarism by stealing Champ
Clark's rhetorical flourish concerning
Parker standing with uplifted consti-
tuition and foot resting upon the
sword, with Roosevelt doing he OPP
posite. The trusts did not escape
and imperialism was also cuffed.
Makes Many Promises.
When through with questions per-
tanning to the national government,
Governor Toole paid attention to
state issues. He explained the mi
tiative and referendum, the primary
election system, told about a fellow
servant law and a railroad commits
sion. All these, he said, were impera.
tive for the safety and welfare of the
people of Montana.
In his advocacy of a primary cleo
ton law the governor was particu
larly severe on the three counties
where he has heretofore received his
largest majorities. He said that II
Silver Bow, Cascade and Lewis anC
Clarke, containing the large centers
of population, the present system Of
holding primary elections was a farce
and disgrace. In Butte, particularly
good men, regardless of party atilia
!, lions, were disguised and shamed
The corporations operating there die
tated the men who were to be noml
mated and had their employees at the
primaries to see to it that only sucf
, men were elected as delegates whom
could be depended upon to do the
: companies will in the conventions
) If it was found that the compan!
men could not handle the primaries il
the manner desired, they simply wen
:, out into the slums and brought IL
+ enough to place them in control.
), In his arraignment the governor in
, cluded both parties, saying that II
spite of all the talk heard from dem
\ ocrats and republicans there to tn
contrary, the corporations dominated
both and saw to it that in their re
spective conventions only men wer'
nominated whom they could use an
to whom they could go for favors
= After the conventions had been he'll
these corporations were Indifferent
as to whom was elected, for no ma
ter how an election might go, the
) knew they would be all right. 1t n
) were elected, all this would cease.
2 Charge Against Lindsay
The governor exhibited some fee
/ ing when he spoke of the republican
= state convention. Here ne accuse
} Mr.. Lindsay of acting in a taltl
; and of doing an unfair thing. In vic
= lation of a precedent that had almos
the force and effect of a law, MI
7 Lindsay, as chairman OF the republ
can state committee, had called tn
state convention ahead of the demo
0 cratic convention so that his part
might appropriate his, Toole's, recon
q mendations tt the last legislator