The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-10-28
SPEECH OF HON. WILLIAM LIND.
SAY IN 1889.
NOT KNOWN AS AN ORATOR
Present Republican Candidate for
Governor Surprised His Friends
in the Legislature.

Ine correspondent OF the AancOnQa
Standard, in describing the scene on
January "a, 1899, when the Honorable
William Lindsay denounced the brib.
ers and bribe-takers, said:
"He (the Honorable William Lind
say) has never been known as an ora
tor. AS member OF the house two
years ago he was influential and re-
spected, but he rarely, ii ever, in
dulged in oratory, and none of his
friends dreamed that he was capable
of making a speech SO full OF fire and
force as that he delivered this morn
ing. AS he said, he realized the time
had come when he could no longer
sit silent. Words are inadequate to
describe the delivery of his speech.
Such adjectives as brilliant, vigorous,
electrifying, do not do it justice. 1t
was deeply impressive.
Believes He ls Right.
"Mr. Lindsay spoke as follows: Mr..
President: l desire to preface my
vote with few remarks explaining
the position that l have taken upon
this senatorial election since the be-
ginning of this session. l am re-
publican; was elected to my seat in
this body by a republican constltu-
ency, and / am supposed to represent
republican constituency. / am ex-
pected by these people to uphold and
maintain republican principles. The
struggle that is now going on between
the different factions OF the demo-
cratic party is nothing to me; it has
not Influenced my action in the past,
and will not in the future. (Great
applause.) The position tnat l take
is one that is right, because am sup
posed while am a member OF this
body to uphold the right and the prin-
ciples' OF the constituency that sent
me here (Great applause.)
~ also take the view that upon
the election that is now before this
body, the republican members should
occupy neutral ground, and the men
who will enueavor to swerve them
from that ground are unworthy of the
of this great commonwealth.
There is an implied contract be-
tween a representative OF this body
and the constituency that sent him
here, and that contract is just as bind
ing and should be held just as sacred
as ii it were written in words OF fire;
for the members of the democratic
party who are engaged in this bitter
struggle have no harsh words; tor
the candidates that are before this
body have no harsh words, but for
the men, the political mavericks
daughter )who are parading in the
stolen livery OF republicanism and
who have since the convening OF this
session used every means within their
power to SOW the seed of treason and
discord within the republican ranks,
l want to express unqualified con-
tempt and scorn. (Great applause.) y
Time to Call Halt.
81 have kept my seat until this
time and remained silent, because
believe that the interests OF the great
party that l represent demanded it;
and because l have an innate horror
OF parading my sentiments before the
public; but it seems to me that If /
would remain silent any longer the
very bricks in this building would cry
out Shame When it comes to a
point where it is handed from mouth
to mouth in the hotel corridors and
or the streets of this city that ten OF
the republican votes of this assembly
have been purchased, and would be
delivered to certain candidate with
in AZ hours, say it was time to call
halt.
lone of the main issues in the re-
cent political contest was the election
of United States senator, and the
people spoke in no uncertain voice
upon that issue; by an unweildy, It
not ungovernable majority, they dele
gated to the democratic party Of this
state the power and authority to elect