The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-10-18
SMALL AUDIENCE GREETs DEMO-
CRATIC CAMPAIGN SPEAKERS.
ABSENCE OF SPIRIT
Candidate for Lieutenant Governor
and Colonel Nolan Given De-
cidedIy Chilly Reception.
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
Smaller audiences have been seen
at the opera house than the n that
assembled there last night to hear the
democratic candidate for lieutneant-
governor and C. B. Nolan, but not
much smaller; at any event so small
a one was probably ever seen before
at a political meeting, with the Bill
ings band as a side attraction. 70
some reason the faithful failed to
catch the inspiration OF the occasion,
as one was heard to express it, they
didn't enthuse worth a cent" The
house was about half filled and the
majority of the audience were m
and children, with entire COWS OF
chairs occupied by republicans, who
wanted to hear what the two visitors
had to say and who went in compli-
ment to them, for they wished to show
strangers within the gates every pos
slble courtesy short of becoming con.
verts to the doctrine they preached.
The stage was very prettily set and
sehairs and settees had been provided
for a goodly number, but they re-
NAMED unoccupied, all but three. In
asone of these vas seated Mr.. Norris,
in the other Mr.. Nolan and in the
third Nat G. Carwile, who introduced
the speakers.
Told the Same Story.
Mr.. Norris was the first one of the
couple to speak. He told of the great
pleasure it afforded him to be able to
address a Billings audience and then
said ihAJ he had been told that after
crossed the main divide and got
onto the east side he would be in the
enemy's country, but the courteous
and friendly manner in which he and
MI. Nolan had been received every
where satisfied him that his in
formation had been faulty. Then look
ing over the array OF empty seats and
then at the ladies he expressed still
further pleasure at the compliment
implied by the presence OF the latter,
an honor he believed himself to be
indebted for to his old friend, John
d. Losekamp.
The gentleman is not what may be
called a ready or fluent talker. He
finds difficulty at times to formulate
his ideas into words, or rather a de
fective memory fuses him to forget
the lines committed before he began
his speaking tour, as he founders con-
siderably and gets his words and SEN
fences mixed. He said he would pay
attention principally to the discussion
of state matters and state politics
and would endeavor to show that the
democratic administrations had not
been so very bad after all. He agreed
with the republicans that William
Lindsay was an honest man and it
elected would make a fair governor,
but Joseph X. Toole was equally hon
est and tar more competent to ill the
gubernatoriaI chair.
Next he told what the democrats
had done for the state in the way OF
increasing its income by increased
taxation of the railroads, which he
said were now paying six times more
taxes than in 1893 and 1894, when a
republican administration was in
charge. Without regard to the feel
lngs of that distinguished patriot and
statesman n in utter disregard OF
the sensibilities of the long whiskered
men who elected him, Mr.. Norris
the list of democratic governors and
credited him with having instituted
the new order of things that has re-
suited SO beneficially to the people
increased taxation of the railroads.
He did not, however, say any thing
about the conditions that prevailed
quent upon democratic control OF
national affairs and the inability OF
the railroads or others to pay much
if any taxes during those years, nor
did he refer to the marked improve.
ments made in the railroads since
then and their resultant increase in
taxable value.
After he had completed his lauda'
ton Of T0ole Mr.. Norris said. it made
no difference whether a democratic
or republican legislature were elected
this fall so far as its effect on the
United States senate was concerned
That body would remain republican
for the next four years at least, there